The use of the terms "reindeer" and "caribou" for essentially the same animal can cause confusion, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature clearly delineates the issue: "The world's Caribou and Reindeer are classified as a single species "Rangifer tarandus". Reindeer is the European name for the species while in North America, the species is known as Caribou." The word "rein" is of Norse origin. The word "deer" was originally broader in meaning but became more specific over time. In Middle English, "der" meant a wild animal of any kind, in contrast to "cattle". The word "caribou" comes through French, from the Mi'kmaq "qalipu", meaning "snow shoveler" and referring to its habit of pawing through the snow for food.