"What's the plural of deer?"

The plural of deer is deer.

Definition of deer:

A hooved, grass-eating mammal of the Cervidae family. Most male deer have antlers.

Is Deer Plural or Singular?

The word "deer" can be used as both a singular and a plural noun in English. When "deer" is used to refer to a single animal, it is a singular noun, and when it is used to refer to multiple animals, it is a plural noun.

For example:

"I saw a deer in the forest yesterday." (singular)
"I saw several deer in the forest yesterday." (plural)

In general, the word "deer" is used as the plural form of the word when it is referring to a group of deer that are all of the same species. This is the most common way to use the word "deer" as a plural noun.

Which is Correct: Deer or Deers?

Despite Merriam Webster online dictionary listing deers as an acceptable plural form of deer, as you can see from the graph, the word has rarely, if ever, been used in written English since 1900.

None of the other major dictionaries list deers as an accepted form.

It's safe to say that you should use the word deer and not deers.

The word "deers" is not a commonly used plural form of "deer." While "deers" is sometimes used as a variant of "deer," it is generally considered to be incorrect or archaic.

Plural of Deer Example Sentences

Here are some examples to illustrate the difference between the singular and plural forms of "deer":

Singular:

"I saw a deer in the forest this morning." (This sentence is talking about one deer.)
"The deer cautiously approached the edge of the clearing." (This sentence is talking about one deer's actions.)

Plural:

"I saw several deer in the forest this morning." (This sentence is talking about more than one deer.)
"The deer are known for their graceful movements." (This sentence is talking about the characteristics of a group of deer.)
"The deer were skittish and ran away at the first sign of danger." (This sentence is talking about the actions of a group of deer.)