white-tailed deer

noun

: a North American deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with a rather long tail white on the undersurface and the males of which have forward-arching antlers

called also whitetail deer

Illustration of white-tailed deer

Illustration of white-tailed deer

Examples of white-tailed deer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The biggest python ever captured weighed a whopping 215 pounds and had recently consumed an entire white-tailed deer. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Dec. 2022 The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife says hunters checked 71,932 white-tailed deer at the conclusion of the week on Sunday, nearly 2,000 more than in 2021. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 6 Dec. 2022 The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced Wednesday that a white-tailed deer at a Vernon County deer farm tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2022 In some places, the lizard-like animals make up a huge part of entire forest populations, rivaling even white-tailed deer in number. Sarah Jay, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2021 See all Example Sentences for white-tailed deer 

Word History

First Known Use

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of white-tailed deer was in 1829

Dictionary Entries Near white-tailed deer

Cite this Entry

“White-tailed deer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white-tailed%20deer. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

white-tailed deer

noun
ˌhwīt-ˌtāl-ˈdi(ə)r,
ˌwīt-
: a North American deer that has a rather long tail which is white on the underside and antlers which arch forward

called also whitetail deer

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