venison

noun

ven·​i·​son ˈve-nə-sən 

 also  -zən,

 British usually  ˈven-zən

plural venisons also venison

: the edible flesh of a game animal and especially a deer

Examples of venison in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ingredients include wild game like boar, pheasant, and venison, plus foraged botanicals such as pine, cattail, and Saskatoon berries. —Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 27 Dec. 2024

In addition to a selection of bourbon that Combs hand-picked for the bar, Category 10 will serve up a full menu of food inspired by Combs' North Carolina roots, including blue crab cakes, the Smoky Mountain Chicken Sandwich, a barbecue burger and venison meatloaf. —Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Since the property changed hands, its sole restaurant, 18 Restaurant & Bar, has become more markedly gourmet with fare like scallops dusted with seaweed crumbs, smoked trout under cucumber and vermouth relish, and venison enlivened by juniper jus and pickled berries. —Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Dec. 2024

Taste venison chili and game meats, enjoy molasses cookies and apple cider. —Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English venisoun "game animal, meat of a game animal," borrowed from Anglo-French veneisun, going back to Latin vēnātiōn-, vēnātiō "hunting, game animals," from vēnārī "to go hunting, hunt" (probably derivative of a nominal stem *wēn- "hunting, of the hunt," lengthened-grade derivative of a verbal stem *wen- "wish, desire") + -tiōn-, tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at venus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Video

Words of the Year: 1066

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

Kids Definition

venison

noun

ven·​i·​son ˈven-ə-sən 

 also  -ə-zən

: the flesh of a deer used as food

Etymology

Middle English venison "the flesh of a game animal hunted for food," from early French veneisun "flesh of hunted animals, venison," from Latin venation-, venatio, "hunting," from venari "to hunt"