Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

reindeer games

/ˈɹeɪndɪ(ə)ɹ ˌɡeɪmz/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.32 in modern English

Syllables: rein-deer games
IPA: /ˈɹeɪndɪ(ə)ɹ ˌɡeɪmz/

17

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Activities which exclude outsiders.

American usage; Informal

Example Sentences

"The natives are a primitive but gregarious lot. They invited me to join them in their reindeer games, which I did."
"Transfer to Washington. Transfer to Jefferson. No one at Westerburg's going to let you play their reindeer games."
"His unhappiness was not due solely to the ravages of adolescence, the eccentricities of his family, exclusion from his peers' reindeer games, or even by living in the embodiment of Thornton Wilder's Our Town. It was all of those things and none of them."
"It's tough being different in a society where conformity is so very important. Not the type of different that caused you to be picked on by the big kids in grade school because you wore glasses or didn't join the reindeer games, but the type of different that caused you to listen up in class and always do your homework."
"When socializing it's important that you never talk business unless they bring it up. If you do, you'll find out quickly that you're no longer invited to any of the really good reindeer games. Rather, be a good listener."
"Some fighter pilot traditions have taken on the air of reindeer games—they are nothing more than something one has to be a fighter pilot to understand."

Etymology

From the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949) by the American songwriter Johnny Marks (1909–1985): “All of the other reindeer / Used to laugh and call him names. / They never let poor Rudolph / Join in any reindeer games.”

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɹeɪndɪ(ə)ɹ ˌɡeɪmz/
British English: /ˈɹeɪndɪə ˌɡeɪmz/

Usage

American usage
Informal

Questions

How do you pronounce reindeer games?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹeɪndɪ(ə)ɹ ˌɡeɪmz/.
What does reindeer games mean?: Activities which exclude outsiders.
Where does reindeer games come from?: From the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949) by the American songwriter Johnny Marks (1909–1985): “All of the other reindeer / Used to laugh and call him names. / They never let poor Rudolph / Join in any reindeer games.”

How to pronounce reindeer games

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