shrub

¹ American  

[shruhb] / ʃrʌb /

noun

1. a woody plant smaller than a tree, usually having multiple permanent stems branching from or near the ground.

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shrub ² American  

[shruhb] / ʃrʌb /

noun

1. any of various acidulated beverages made from the juice of fruit, sugar, and other ingredients, often including alcohol.

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shrub ¹ British  

/ ʃrʌb /

noun

1. a mixed drink of rum, fruit juice, sugar, and spice

2. mixed fruit juice, sugar, and spice made commercially to be mixed with rum or other spirits

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shrub ² British  

/ ʃrʌb /

noun

1. a woody perennial plant, smaller than a tree, with several major branches arising from near the base of the main stem

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shrub Scientific  

/ shrŭb /

1. A woody plant that is smaller than a tree, usually having several stems rather than a single trunk; a bush.

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Other Word Forms

• shrubless
  adjective
• shrublike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of shrub¹

before 1000; Middle English shrubbe, Old English scrybb brushwood; cognate with dialectal Danish skrub

Origin of shrub²

1740–50; < Arabic, metathetic variant of shurb drink; see sherbet

Explanation

A shrub is a short, tree-like plant with many stems or branches. If you want to tastefully spruce up your front yard, you might plant a flowering shrub or two — or maybe you're the type who would prefer some plastic garden gnomes. Shrubs are similar to trees with two exceptions: they are shorter and have more individual stems, rather than a wide, thick trunk. Some plants, like a hazelnut, can grow into either a shrub or a tree. You can also call a shrub a bush. The origin of shrub is a bit uncertain, but some experts believe it shares a Scandinavian root with the Norwegian skrubba, "dwarf tree."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shrub

Rhododendron is a non-native shrub which was introduced to gardens as an ornamental plant by the Victorians.

From BBC ● May 21, 2026

Although some savanna areas saw increases due to shrub growth, these gains were far too small to balance the losses.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 13, 2026

Enrollment declines opened the door to maintenance staff layoffs, giving the invasive shrub the upper hand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026

Oleandrin comes from Nerium oleander, a shrub that is deadly to humans; scientists warned the New York Times that the compound was not known to be safe.

From Slate ● Dec. 11, 2025

There were already people around, wandering the municipal gardens—now in midwinter, little more than a large grassy field with, here and there, some steps, a shrub, a statue.

From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

• foliage
• hedge
• shrubbery
• thicket
• topiary
• tree