moose

[ moos ]

noun

, plural moose.

1. a large, long-headed mammal, Alces alces, of the deer family, having circumpolar distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, the male of which has enormous palmate antlers.
2. (initial capital letter) a member of a fraternal and benevolent organization Loyal Order of Moose.

moose

/ muːs /

noun

1. a large North American deer, Alces alces, having large flattened palmate antlers: also occurs in Europe and Asia where it is called an elk

Word History and Origins

Origin of moose¹

1595–1605, Americanism; < Eastern Abenaki mos, reinforced by cognates in other Algonquian languages, all < Proto-Algonquian *mo˙swa

Word History and Origins

Origin of moose¹

C17: from Algonquian; related to Narraganset moos, from moosu he strips, alluding to the moose's habit of stripping trees

Example Sentences

Before it’s over, we’ll see grizzly bears, moose, elephants, walruses, rhinos and more — an amalgam of the more than 75 detailed habitat displays that are at the heart of the museum’s exhibits.

From Los Angeles Times

The park is home to 53 species of mammals, including moose, bears, elks, mountain goats and caribou.

From BBC

She tells the tale of a young boy called Wilfred who says he owns a big moose called Marcel.

From BBC

Even though there have been some calls for the moose to be killed, Dale Chorman’s family does not want the moose put down because she was only protecting her calves.

From Seattle Times

The female moose had recently given birth to the calves in Homer.

From Seattle Times

What Is The Plural Of Moose?

Plural word for moose

The plural form of moose is moose. Because it doesn’t use an -s like a regular plural, it’s an example of an irregular plural. The same kind of irregular plurals are also used for some other animal names, such as in deer, sheep, and fish. 

Some people suggest (often jokingly) that the plural form of moose should be meese, following the pattern of goose and geese. The reason it doesn’t follow this pattern is because the two words derive from completely unrelated languages (goose is from Old English, while moose is from Algonquian). 

Do you know: What is the plural of mongoose?