# buck

/ˈbək/ (US) · /bˈʌk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/buck
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. male deer or other animal

noun · CEFR B2

a male deer. The word is also used for the male of some other animals, such as antelopes, rabbits, goats, and hares.

For teachers: the male of certain mammals — chiefly deer, but also antelope, rabbit, hare, and goat.

- A large buck stepped out of the trees.
- During the rut, a dominant buck fights off rival males to defend a group of does.

### 2. a dollar

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

an informal word for a dollar, especially in American English. You might hear someone say something costs 'ten bucks'.

For teachers: an informal term for a unit of currency, most frequently the United States dollar; also common in Australian and Canadian English.

- This coffee costs five bucks.
- The entrepreneur's first venture was funded with a thousand bucks borrowed from family.

## Examples

- This coffee costs five bucks.
- He only had a few bucks in his pocket, not enough for the train ticket home.
- The entrepreneur's first venture was funded with a thousand bucks borrowed from family, a humble start for what would become a global tech empire.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.