bramble

American  

[bram-buhl] / ˈbræm bəl /

noun

1. any prickly shrub belonging to the genus Rubus, of the rose family.

2. British. the common blackberry.

3. any rough, prickly shrub, as the dog rose.

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verb (used without object)

brambles, present (3rd person singular) brambled, past participle, past brambling present participle

1. British. to look for and gather wild blackberries; pick blackberries from the vine.

bramble British  

/ ˈbræmbəl /

noun

1. any of various prickly herbaceous plants or shrubs of the rosaceous genus Rubus , esp the blackberry See also stone bramble

2. 1. a blackberry

   2. ( as modifier )

      bramble jelly

3. any of several similar and related shrubs

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verb

1. to gather blackberries

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• brambly
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have brambled
  perfect
• has brambled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has been brambling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been brambling
  perfect progressive
• are brambling
  progressive
• is brambling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• brambling
  participle
• am brambling
  progressive 1st person singular
• brambles
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had brambled
  perfect
• were brambling
  progressive plural
• brambled
  simple
• brambled
  participle
• was brambling
  progressive singular
• had been brambling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will bramble
  simple
• will have brambled
  perfect
• will have been brambling
  perfect progressive
• will be brambling
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of bramble

before 1000; Middle English; Old English bræmbel, variant of brǣmel, equivalent to brǣm- (cognate with Dutch braam broom ) + -el noun suffix

Explanation

A bramble is a bush or plant that's covered in thorns. You'll want to wear long pants if you're going to trek through the brambles looking for your lost cat. Those rough, prickly shrubs that grow along the fence and in which you're always losing your Frisbee? You can call them brambles. This word is most common in Britain, where it sometimes refers specifically to blackberry bushes. In fact, some Britons even call blackberries themselves "brambleberries." The Old English root is bræmbel.

Example Sentences

For long stretches, Fish and I walked in the bike lane, or in the bramble by the side of the road.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

Just off the road, a tall bramble of bushes and weeds grew so thick and thorny, even trained cadaver-sniffing dogs could barely penetrate it.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2023

First are light bites like venison tartare flecked with pickled garlic buds and served with bramble purée, and a seaweed “cornetto” filled with salmon belly tartare and salmon mousse.

From New York Times • Jul. 4, 2023

Transforming the bramble patch at the end of the garden into John's home has brought Bill a friend, community and a new job.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2023

We snuck out to the backyard before Mom made it inside, and then picked our way through a little bramble of honeysuckle bushes at the edge of the yard.

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green