moose

noun

plural moose
1
: a ruminant mammal (Alces alces) with humped shoulders, long legs, and broadly palmated antlers that is the largest existing member of the deer family and inhabits forested areas of Canada, the northern U.S., Europe, and Asia
2
capitalized [Loyal Order of Moose] : a member of a major benevolent and fraternal order

Illustration of moose

Illustration of moose
  • moose 1

Examples of moose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Screenshots from a May 27 Instagram video of a paramedic stepping in to save a baby moose after a car accident. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025 Deer and moose munch on the shrub’s leaves and twigs. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 June 2025 Officials estimate there’s currently about 3,600 moose in the state compared to 2,250 in 2013. Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2025 It is listed to work for rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs, voles, deer, chipmunks, elk and moose. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for moose

Word History

Etymology

of Algonquian origin; akin to Massachusett moos moose

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of moose was in 1603

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Moose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moose. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

moose

noun
plural moose
: a large cud-chewing mammal with broad flattened antlers and humped shoulders that is related to the deer and lives in forests of Canada, the northern U.S., Europe, and Asia

Geographical Definition

Moose

geographical name

river 50 miles (80 kilometers) long in northeastern Ontario, Canada, flowing northeast into James Bay

Note: The Moose River is actually an estuary of the Abitibi, Mattagami, and other rivers.

More from Merriam-Webster on moose

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!