Illustration of caribou
caribou
noun
car·i·bou
ˈker-ə-ˌbü 
ˈka-rə-
plural caribou or caribous
: a large gregarious deer (Rangifer tarandus) of Holarctic taiga and tundra that usually has palmate antlers in both sexes
—used especially for one of the New World
called also reindeer
Examples of caribou in a Sentence
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Huge cliffs and mountains rise from a shoreline of rocky beaches and tundra flats traversed by polar bear, muskox, caribou, Arctic fox and other cold-climate creatures.
—
Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Our reindeer-adjacent vocabulary is pretty much confined to caribou, moose, Rudolph, Dancer, Dasher, Comet, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid and Blitzen.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2025
Initial findings suggest the presence of moose or caribou, though researchers plan to test the surrounding soil to confirm whether such animals were stored in the cache or were just passing by.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Feb. 2025
In recent years the federal government has chipped away at opportunities on federal land for caribou, moose, sheep, and bear hunters.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 31 Jan. 2025
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Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Our reindeer-adjacent vocabulary is pretty much confined to caribou, moose, Rudolph, Dancer, Dasher, Comet, Prancer, Vixen, Cupid and Blitzen.
—Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2025
Initial findings suggest the presence of moose or caribou, though researchers plan to test the surrounding soil to confirm whether such animals were stored in the cache or were just passing by.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Feb. 2025
In recent years the federal government has chipped away at opportunities on federal land for caribou, moose, sheep, and bear hunters.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for caribou
Cite this Entry
“Caribou.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caribou. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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caribou
noun
car·i·bou
ˈkar-ə-ˌbü
plural caribou or caribous
: a large animal of the deer family that is found in cold northern regions
—used especially for one of the New World
called also reindeer
Etymology
from Canadian French caribou "caribou," from Micmac (Indigenous language of northeastern Canada) γalipu
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