Caribou

google

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early 17th century: from Canadian French, from an earlier form of Micmac qalipu, literally ‘snow-shoveller’ (because the caribou scrapes away snow to feed on the vegetation underneath).

wiktionary

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From Canadian French caribou, from Mi'kmaq qalipu(“caribou”) (compare qalipi(“to shovel snow”)), from Proto-Algonquian *maka·lipowa(“caribou; it shovels snow”).

etymonline

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caribou (n.)

also cariboo, "American reindeer," 1660s, from Canadian French caribou, from Micmac (Algonquian) kaleboo or a related Algonquian name, literally "pawer, scratcher," from its kicking snow aside to feed on moss and grass.