Antler
/ˈænt.lər/noun
A branched, bony growth that develops and is shed annually by male deer and some related animals.
Did you know?Unlike true horns, antlers are made of bone, can grow astonishingly fast, and are completely regrown after being shed each year.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ant-
“Before, in front of, or at the front”
Classical Latin
Latin
ante
“Before or in front of”
Medieval Latin / Old French
Old French
antel / antelier
“An antler or branching projection of a stag’s head”
14th Century
Middle English
aunteler / antler
“The branched horn or bony growth of a deer”
Modern English
English
antler
“A deer’s branched, annually shed bony growth”