Cervidae
/ˈsɜːr.vɪ.diː/noun
A family of mammals that includes deer, elk, moose, and related species.
Did you know?Cervidae is a modern zoological family name built from Latin cervus, and that same old Indo-European root also gave English words tied to the neck and horns, because deer were defined by the body parts people noticed first.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ker-
“to turn, bend, or the head/neck area”
Latin
Latin
cervus
“deer, stag”
Late Latin / Scientific Latin
Latin
Cervidae
“the deer family”
Modern English
English
cervid
“a member of the deer family”
Modern English
English
Cervidae
“the zoological family of deer”