musk deer

noun

1. a small, hornless deer, Moschus moschiferus, of central Asia, the male of which secretes musk: now rare.

musk deer

noun

1. a small central Asian mountain deer, Moschus moschiferus. The male has long tusklike canine teeth and secretes musk

Word History and Origins

Origin of musk deer¹

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

In the 1600s, an Armenian merchant started poking around, looking for musk, an incredibly lucrative perfume ingredient that came from glandular secretions of Tibetan musk deer.

From New York Times

Deer musk is specifically a secretion produced from the scent gland of the male musk deer.

From BBC

The Tsaatan live far from roads, sharing the boreal forest with endangered Siberian ibex, argali sheep, red deer and musk deer.

From Salon

Because the harvesting of the substance — which comes from the gland of the endangered male musk deer — has been illegal since 1975, all commercial musk is a synthetic interpretation of the actual, animal thing.

From New York Times

Small and medium-size mammals that once flourished in northern Pakistan, such as the Himalayan musk deer, are threatened.

From Washington Post