# doe

> English word · Noun · IPA /dəʊ/ · frequency rank #9,035

## Definitions
1. A female deer; also used of similar animals such as antelope (less commonly a goat, as nanny is also used).
2. A female fallow deer.
3. A female rabbit or hare.
4. A female squirrel.
5. A female kangaroo.

## Etymology
From Middle English do (“(female) fallow deer”), from Old English dā, from Proto-West Germanic *daihā (“female deer, mother deer”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suck (milk), to suckle”).
Cognate with Middle Scots da, dae (“female fallow deer”), Danish då (“fallow deer”), Sanskrit धेनु (dhenú, “cow, milk-cow”), Old English dēon (“to suckle”), Old English delu (“teat”). Related also to female, filial, fetus.

## Easily confused with
- **Dr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dr)
- **DS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-ds)
- **DT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dt)
- **DP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dp)
- **dw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dw)
- **Dx** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dx)
- **DV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dv)
- **dy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dy)
- **DQ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dq)
- **due** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-due)
- **dog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dog)
- **dry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dry)
- **don** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-don)
- **DVD** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dvd)
- **duo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-duo)
- **dot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dot)
- **dug** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dug)
- **dye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dye)
- **dom** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dom)
- **DOS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/doe-vs-dos)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/doe