# Why called rut?



## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

Okay. Last night my wife and I were coming home from a club dinner and I was telling her to be extra careful of hitting a deer during the rut. She asked me why it was called rut, and I had no answer. So why is it called the rut?

I'm sure I will get a lot of jokes, but this is a serious question.


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## Archery Patriot (Mar 8, 2012)

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rut_(mammalian_reproduction)

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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i had to give this one much thought, and thats hard for me. but the best thing i can think of its just a better way of saying that the animals are trying to have sex, than saying they are having sex,LOL.

its really no different than dogs in heat or fish spawning. somebody at some point in time just thought it was better than telling kids they are having sex. and it just stuck,LOL. no pun intended. if someone has a better answer i would love to hear your opinion on this one.
sherman


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## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

Wikipedia just says what the rut is and I new that. Maybe it is just a way of saying wanting sex.


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## Archery Patriot (Mar 8, 2012)

It states at the top what rut means, that's why I posted that


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## leupy (Feb 12, 2007)

Running up testosterone -I made that up but it seems to fit. I would tell your wife that.


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## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

Archery Patriot said:


> http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rut_(mammalian_reproduction)
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Okay. I understand but why call it rut instead of an acronim for mammilian reproduction? Does the word rut stand for something in Latin? Just wondering as it does not really matter except I get curious.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Middle English rutte, from Middle French ruit rut, disturbance, from Late Latin rugitus roar, from Latin rugire to roar; akin to Middle Irish rucht roar, Old Church Slavic r&#365;ati to neigh
First Known Use: 15th century


Other Animal Husbandry Terms


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## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

Fishlandr75 said:


> Middle English rutte, from Middle French ruit rut, disturbance, from Late Latin rugitus roar, from Latin rugire to roar; akin to Middle Irish rucht roar, Old Church Slavic r&#365;ati to neigh
> First Known Use: 15th century
> 
> 
> Other Animal Husbandry Terms


Now that is what I hoped to learn. THANK YOU! I was about to call that pretty Russian lady who does word origins on O'Reilly.


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

I have read and was always understood the modern term "rut" was derived from the Native American moon phase. Native Americans named moon phases instead of months as we modern english do...the Rutting moon follows the harvest moon each fall. The french root of the word = "disturbance" coincides with the Native American observations they witnessed annually leading them to coin this moon phase the "rutting moon".


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

Fish-N-Fool said:


> I have read and was always understood the modern term "rut" was derived from the Native American moon phase. Native Americans named moon phases instead of months as we modern english do...the Rutting moon follows the harvest moon each fall. The french root of the word = "disturbance" coincides with the Native American observations they witnessed annually leading them to coin this moon phase the "rutting moon".


Similar to whats already been posted but since there is still debate:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rut?s=t

rut2 [ruht] Show IPA noun, verb, rut·ted, rut·ting.
noun
1.
the periodically recurring sexual excitement of the deer, goat, sheep, etc.
verb (used without object)
2.
to be in the condition of rut.
Origin: 
1375&#8211;1425; late Middle English rutte < Middle French rut, ruit < Late Latin rug&#299;tus a roaring, equivalent to Latin rug&#299; ( re ) to roar + -tus suffix of v.


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