black cherry

noun

1. a North American cherry, Prunus serotina, having drooping clusters of fragrant white flowers and bearing a black, sour, edible fruit.
2. the fruit itself.
3. the hard, reddish-brown wood of this tree, used for making furniture.

Word History and Origins

Origin of black cherry¹

An Americanism dating back to 1720–30

Example Sentences

Utterly regardless of property rights, she showed Yan how to chip off the bark of the 77 Black-cherry.

From Project Gutenberg

Choke-cherry ain't no good; but Black-cherry bark's awful good for lung complaint.

From Project Gutenberg

The wild black cherry is the most noxious species, and the chokecherry is not far behind it.

From Project Gutenberg

Jimmy Phœbus shouted, with one of his Greek paroxysms of temper on, as his dark skin and black-cherry eyes flamed volcanic.

From Project Gutenberg

Poplar and cottonwood make the best baits, but in case they cannot be obtained, use birch, willow or black cherry.

From Project Gutenberg