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Definition of caribou

caribou

/ˈkær.ɪ.buː/
car · i · bou
Plural:caribou
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caribou Lexical Profile

caribou Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A large North American deer (Rangifer tarandus) characterized by large, spreading antlers present in both sexes, native to Arctic tundra, boreal forests, and mountainous regions.

Example

"During the brief summer months, massive herds of caribou migrate across the Alaskan tundra in search of fresh vegetation."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for caribou

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'caribou' and 'reindeer' refer to the exact same biological species (Rangifer tarandus), 'caribou' is strictly used in North America to describe wild populations, whereas 'reindeer' is used for Eurasian or domesticated populations.

• Rhymes for caribou

• Nearby Words

carful
cargo
carhop
caribou
caricature
caricaturist
carillon

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into English in the early 17th century from Canadian French 'caribou', which originated from the Mi'kmaq word 'qalipu', meaning 'snow shoveler' or 'scratcher' (referring to the animal's habit of pawing through snow for food).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Caribou. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/caribou
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