white-tailed deer

or white·tail deer

[ hwahyt-teyld, wahyt- ]

noun

1. a common North American deer, Odocoileus virginianus, having a tail with a white underside.

white-tailed deer

noun

1. a deer, Odocoileus virginianus, of North America and N South America: the coat varies in colour, being typically reddish-brown in the summer, and the tail is white Also calledVirginia deer

Word History and Origins

Origin of white-tailed deer¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

Later a herd of large white-tailed deer trooped up the hollow.

From Project Gutenberg

Deer and bear signs were plenty, and in a few cases white-tailed deer were seen, but none were killed.

From Project Gutenberg

Many and diverse the madnesses of the time, but none more insane than the rut of the white-tailed deer.

From Project Gutenberg

At such times they may be seen mixed with black-and-white-tailed deer, low on a river-bank.

From Project Gutenberg

The most familiar species is the common American deer, of which the Virginia or white-tailed deer is the type.

From Project Gutenberg