cherry
noun
the fruit of any of various trees belonging to the genus Prunus, of the rose family, consisting of a pulpy, globular drupe enclosing a one-seeded smooth stone.
cherry
1 American
[cher-ee]
/ ˈtʃɛr i /
noun
-
cherries
plural
-
the fruit of any of various trees belonging to the genus Prunus, of the rose family, consisting of a pulpy, globular drupe enclosing a one-seeded smooth stone.
-
the tree bearing such a fruit.
-
the wood of such a tree.
-
any of various fruits or plants resembling the cherry.
-
bright red; cerise.
-
Slang: Often Vulgar.
-
the hymen.
-
the state of virginity.
-
-
Slang.
-
something new or unused.
-
a novice.
-
-
Underworld Slang. a first offender.
-
Bowling. the striking down of only the forward pin or pins in attempting to make a spare.
adjective
-
bright-red; cerise.
-
(of food and beverages) made with or containing cherries or cherrylike flavoring.
cherry pie; cherry soda.
-
(of furniture, woodwork, etc.) made of or covered or decorated with wood from the cherry tree.
-
Slang: Often Vulgar. being a virgin.
-
Slang.
-
new or unused.
a three-year-old car in cherry condition.
-
inexperienced; being an innocent novice.
-
Cherry
2
American
[cher-ee]
/ ˈtʃɛr i /
noun
cherry
British
/ ˈtʃɛrɪ /
noun
-
any of several trees of the rosaceous genus Prunus, such as P. avium ( sweet cherry ), having a small fleshy rounded fruit containing a hard stone See also bird cherry
-
the fruit or wood of any of these trees
-
any of various unrelated plants, such as the ground cherry and Jerusalem cherry
-
-
a bright red colour; cerise
-
( as adjective )
a cherry coat
-
-
slang virginity or the hymen as its symbol
-
(modifier) of or relating to the cherry fruit or wood
cherry tart
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of cherry
1300–50; Middle English cheri variant of chirie, back formation from Old English ciris- (taken for plural) ≪ Vulgar Latin *ceresium for *cerasium ( Latin cerasum ) < Greek kerásion cherry
Explanation
A cherry is a beautiful flowering tree, and it's also the name of the small, red fruit that grows on it. If you learn to bake a perfect cherry pie, you will become a legend among your dessert-loving friends. Ripe cherries are deep red and exquisitely sweet, with small inedible pits. Cherry is an almost universally loved flavor, from cherry danishes and cherry lollipops to the cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae. Cherry is also used to describe a bright red color. The word itself comes from a Greek root, kerasos, which means "cherry tree," and also refers to a region of ancient Greece historians believe first exported cherries to Europe.
Vocabulary lists containing cherry
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Dogwoods and cherry trees, which have shallow roots, will struggle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
She says the bonus should be the "cherry on top" and people shouldn't overlook other aspects such as the bank's reputation for service, any overdraft charges and what savings rate it offers.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The eatery features Midcentury Modern touches with curved cherry wood walls and paneled ceilings, as well as illuminated white onyx Corian surfaces.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Subtle and savory, with pretty aromas of rose and fennel, a silky mineral mouth feel and flavors including ripe red cherry, wild strawberry and a hint of fresh herbs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
“Heath bar brownie with butterscotch sauce and hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. That’s his favorite. But he likes to mix it up.”
From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins
Cherry Hoang, a field consultant for a relocation agency, uses her Nissan Qashqai to drive newly arrived expats around town for their orientation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Cosmetics brand Glamlite teamed up with Pepsi for its first foray into body care, turning the cola’s flavors into a Wild Cherry body wash and a Vanilla Slushie scrub.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Scotland's own KT Tunstall then performed two of her greatest hits, Black Horse & the Cherry Tree and Suddenly I See.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The American model is also a musician, known for being the lead vocalist and songwriter of the punk rock band Nasty Cherry, which was formed by Charli XCX.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
From there we were driven south to our Cherry Hill, New Jersey, home in a shiny black car that was finer than any I had seen before.
From "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" by Michaela DePrince
The most popular are the small birthday candles shaped like raspberries, cherries and blackberries, packed in molded-pulp baskets just like you’d find at the grocery store or farmers market.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
Adding foods like blueberries, plums, blackberries, broad beans, and cherries to your daily diet, especially when paired with green tea, could be a simple way to support heart health, according to new research.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026
Berries, peaches, cherries, plums — anything that can be washed at home and eaten out of hand.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
Eating blueberries, plums, blackberries, broad beans and cherries, washed down with green tea, is an ideal way to top them up, they say.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
He started to put the picked berries back in the sorted pile with the gut cherries but noticed that the raspberries were seeping through the jacket.
From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
