caribou

[ kar-uh-boo ]
/ ˈkær əˌbu /

noun, plural car·i·bous, (especially collectively) car·i·bou.

any of several large, North American deer of the genus Rangifer, related to the reindeer of the Old World.

Origin of caribou

1665–75, Americanism; < Canadian French caribou, replacing earlier English caribo, both < Micmac γalipu derivative (agent noun) of γalipi- shovel snow < Proto-Algonquian *maka·lipi-; called the snow-shoveler from its habit of scraping aside snow with its front hoofs in search of food

Example sentences from the Web for caribou

British Dictionary definitions for caribou (1 of 2)

caribou
/ (ˈkærɪˌbuː) /

noun plural -bou or -bous

a large deer, Rangifer tarandus, of Arctic regions of North America, having large branched antlers in the male and female: also occurs in Europe and Asia, where it is called a reindeer Also called (Canadian): tuktu

Word Origin for caribou

C18: from Canadian French, of Algonquian origin; compare Micmac khalibu literally: scratcher

British Dictionary definitions for caribou (2 of 2)

Caribou
/ (ˈkærɪˌbuː) /

noun

Canadian a mixed drink containing wine and grain alcohol