berry

¹

[ ber-ee ]

noun

, plural ber·ries.

1. any small, usually stoneless, juicy fruit, irrespective of botanical structure, as the huckleberry, strawberry, or hackberry.
2. Botany. a simple fruit having a pulpy pericarp in which the seeds are embedded, as the grape, gooseberry, currant, or tomato.
3. a dry seed or kernel, as of wheat.
4. the hip of the rose.
5. one of the eggs of a lobster, crayfish, etc.
6. the berries, Older Slang. someone or something very attractive or unusual.

verb (used without object)

, ber·ried, ber·ry·ing.

1. to gather or pick berries:

   We went berrying this morning.

2. to bear or produce berries.

Berry

²

[ ber-ee; French be-ree ]

noun

1. Charles Edward Anderson Chuck, 1926–2017, U.S. rock-'n'-roll singer, musician, and composer.
2. Also Berri. a former province in central France.

Berry

¹

noun

1. ˈbɛrɪ BerryChuck1926MUSMUSIC: rock guitaristMUSIC: singerMUSIC: songwriter Chuck , full name Charles Edward Berry . born 1926, US rock-and-roll guitarist, singer, and songwriter. His frequently covered songs include "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Johnny B. Goode" (1958), "Memphis, Tennessee" (1959), and "Promised Land" (1964)
2. bɛri BerryJean de France13401416MFrenchPOLITICS: statesman Jean de France (ʒɑ̃ də frɑ̃s), Duc de. 1340–1416, French prince, son of King John II; coregent (1380–88) for Charles VI and a famous patron of the arts

berry

²

/ ˈbɛrɪ /

noun

1. any of various small edible fruits such as the blackberry and strawberry
2. botany an indehiscent fruit with two or more seeds and a fleshy pericarp, such as the grape or gooseberry
3. any of various seeds or dried kernels, such as a coffee bean
4. the egg of a lobster, crayfish, or similar animal

verb

1. to bear or produce berries
2. to gather or look for berries

berry

/ bĕr′ē /

1. A simple fruit that has many seeds in a fleshy pulp. Grapes, bananas, tomatoes, and blueberries are berries.
2. Compare drupeSee more at simple fruit
3. A seed or dried kernel of certain kinds of grain or other plants such as wheat, barley, or coffee.

Derived Forms

• ˈberried, adjective

Other Words From

• berry·less adjective
• berry·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of berry¹

before 1000; Middle English berie, Old English beri ( g ) e; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German beri ( German Beere ), Old Norse ber < Germanic basjá-; akin to Dutch besie, Gothic -basi < Germanic básja-

Word History and Origins

Origin of berry¹

Old English berie ; related to Old High German beri , Dutch bezie

Usage

Cucumbers and tomatoes aren't usually thought of as berries, but to a botanist they are in fact berries, while strawberries and raspberries are not. In botany, a berry is a fleshy kind of simple fruit consisting of a single ovary that has multiple seeds. Other true berries besides cucumbers and tomatoes are bananas, oranges, grapes, and blueberries. Many fruits that are popularly called berries have a different structure and thus are not true berries. For example, strawberries and raspberries are aggregate fruits, developed from multiple ovaries of a single flower. The mulberry is not a true berry either. It is a multiple fruit, like the pineapple, and is made up of the ovaries of several individual flowers.

Example Sentences

All the weird berries and bugs and plants and trees were always out there, undergoing dramatic changes every four months.

From Time

There are stories about a woman who tried to pick berries after the death of a child, and the bush dried up, never grew back.

From Time

Stirring is crucial, because it breaks down the berries while preventing over-caramelization, which may cause the jam to stick to the bottom of your pot.

From Washington Post

Transfer to the oven and roast for about 10 minutes, or until the berries begin to soften.

From Washington Post

Even harnessing the natural antioxidant powers of berries might help.

From Science News For Students

Jason Berry received a 1992 Alicia Patterson Fellowship for his coverage of demagogues in Louisiana.

From The Daily Beast

“Very few district attorneys are willing to go after a bishop,” says Berry.

From The Daily Beast

“It sounds horrible,” Camden Green Party Councillor Sian Berry told The Mirror.

From The Daily Beast

Jason Berry was coproducer of the Frontline film, “Secrets of the Vatican.”

From The Daily Beast

Until they do, Berry utilizes her star quality to keep us riveted and awaiting whatever twist comes next.

From The Daily Beast

Bordering them were great quantities of berry-laden snow-berry bushes, of which I am very fond.

From Project Gutenberg

It was interesting to see the piles of berry crates loaded upon the steamer from the docks extending out into the lake.

From Project Gutenberg

William Berry, an English author, died at Bristol, aged 77; author of various works on genealogy and heraldry.

From Project Gutenberg

Dealers in wool, acting as selling agents for owners, and buying agents for fleece merchants of Berry.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no berry so fascinating nor so delicious to me as a raspberry, especially at breakfast, half hidden under golden cream.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bean
• grain
• kernel

More About Berry

What does berry mean?

A berry is a small, stoneless, juicy fruit.

Commonly, a berry is any small fruit that has no pit and usually produces juice. Berries range from sweet, such as the blueberry, to sour, such as the raspberry.

In botany, a berry is specifically a fruit with a pulpy outer wall and many seeds. Botanically, then, some fruits commonly thought of as berries are not actually berries, including strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Fruits that botanically are berries include blueberries, bananas, grapes, and tomatoes.

Less commonly, berry can also refer to a dry seed or kernel.

As a verb, to berry means to pick berries or to produce berries.

Example: We picked berries today, filling up three whole baskets.

Where does berry come from?

The first records of the term berry come from before the year 1000. It ultimately comes from the Old English berige.

The fruit we commonly refer to as berries are known for containing high levels of antioxidants, which may protect against heart disease or cancer. They are also high in vitamin C and other vitamins that protect the immune system.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to berry?

• berryless (adjective)
• berrylike (adjective)

What are some synonyms for berry?

• bean
• grain
• kernel

What are some words that share a root or word element with berry?

• berryfruit
• berried

What are some words that often get used in discussing berry?

• flavor
• fruit
• juice
• plant

How is berry used in real life?

Berry is most often used to refer to a small, juicy fruit, whether it is botanically a true berry or not.

You're the straw to my berry

— Beau Brooks (@BrooksBeau) June 20, 2015

 

 

this bangin berry smoothie is bangin

— jacob whitesides (@JacobWhitesides) January 29, 2016

Try using berry!

True or False?

What we commonly call a berry is the same as a botanical berry.