Roe Deer - Etymology

Etymology

English roe is from Old English raha, from Proto-Germanic *raikhon, cognate to Old Norse and German Reh. A fifth century runic inscription on a roe deer ankle bone found in England (the "Caistor-by-Norwich astragalus") transliterates as raïhan, thought to refer to the deer itself. Ultimately, the word may be drawn from the Proto-Indo-European root *rei-, meaning "streaked" or "spotted." Another translation suggests that roe is an ancient word meaning the colour red.

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