caribou
pronunciation
How to pronounce caribou in British English:
UK [ˈkærɪbu:]
How to pronounce caribou in American English:
US [ˈkærəˌbu]
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- Noun:
- arctic deer with large antlers in both sexes; called reindeer in Eurasia and caribou in North America
Word Origin
- caribou
- caribou: [17] Caribou is the name of a close North American relative of the reindeer, and it refers literally to the way in which the animal scratches at the snow with its hooves to find the grass, moss, etc that it eats. It comes from Mi’kmaq galipu (Mi’kmaq is an Algonquian language of eastern Canada), meaning ‘snowshoveller’, which in Canadian French became caribou.
- caribou (n.)
- also cariboo, 1660s, from Canadian French caribou, from Micmac (Algonquian) kaleboo or a related Algonquian name, literally "pawer, scratcher," from its kicking snow aside to feed on moss and grass.
Example
- 1. He added that hydropower operations , mining and other human activities are additionally taking over caribou habitat .
- 2. Since the number of moose and caribou is falling , hunters are allowed to shoot the competing wolves from the air .
- 3. In the summer , caribou migrate from the valleys to high mountain areas where the snow doesn 't melt , seeking refuge from insects .
- 4. But predator control of bears is a first in alaska , where bears are hunted for sport but have not been killed to improve hunting of moose or caribou .
- 5. The researchers found that the ancient caribou are related to the herds inhabiting the yukon today , while their preserved droppings suggest they had a similar diet .