barking deer
- noun
- /ˈbɑrkɪŋ dɪr/
- Indian
- The barking deer is known for its distinctive call, which sounds similar to a dog barking.
Examples
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In many regions of Asia, hunters often try to track barking deer due to their unique vocalizations.
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Various members of the colorful pitta family can also be encountered on the more remote jungle tracks while small barking deer graze on the jungle floor or in small clearings.
Academic text (2008) -
While walking through the forest, I spotted a barking deer grazing peacefully among the trees.
Synonyms
A wild animal with hooves and antlers that lives in forests and fields
A small deer from Asia with short antlers and a barking call
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is a straightforward modifier+noun: 'barking' describes a deer that produces a barking-like call, so a learner who knows 'bark' and 'deer' can infer it refers to a deer that barks. This species name is compositional and follows a common cross-linguistic pattern for animal names, so its meaning is directly derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Barking deer gets its name from the animal's loud call. The small deer makes a sound like a dog's 'bark', so people called it barking deer, and today the name means a small Asian deer called a 'muntjac' that is known for that noise.