moose
moose Lexical Profile
moose Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A remarkably large species of deer (Alces alces) native to the boreal and mixed deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere, characterized by its heavy build, long legs, fleshy snout, and the broad, palmate antlers borne by the males.
"While driving through the dense forests of Maine, we had to stop suddenly when a massive bull moose ambled across the highway."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North America, 'moose' refers to the species Alces alces, whereas in British English, this same animal is traditionally called an 'elk'—a term which in North America refers to an entirely different, smaller species of deer (the wapiti).
• Rhymes for moose
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English in the early 17th century from an Eastern Algonquian language, likely Narragansett 'moos' or Abenaki 'moz', which translates literally to 'stripper and eater of bark'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.