Where does “reindeer” come from?

Reindeer comes from Middle English rayne-dere, from Old Norse hreindýri, where hreinn derives from Proto-Germanic deuzą and Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, ultimately traced to Proto-Indo-European roots krey- and dʰwes-.

reindeer (English): Any Arctic and subarctic-dwelling deer of the...

Definitions

  1. Any Arctic and subarctic-dwelling deer of the...

Ancestry of “reindeer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishreyndere—
2Old Norsehreindýrireindeer
3Old Norsedýranimal
4Proto-Norse*ᛞᛖᚢᛉᚨanimal
5Proto-Germanicdeuząanimal, beast
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewsómliving thing
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰéwsbreath
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰwes-to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature

Words derived from “reindeer”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰéws →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewsóm →