cowberry

American  

[kou-ber-ee, -buh-ree] / ˈkaʊˌbɛr i, -bə ri /

noun

plural

cowberries

1. the berry or fruit of any of various shrubs, especially Vaccinium vitis-idaea, of the heath family, growing in pastures.

2. any of these shrubs.

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cowberry British  

/ ˈkaʊbərɪ, -brɪ /

noun

1. a creeping ericaceous evergreen shrub, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, of N temperate and arctic regions, with pink or red flowers and edible slightly acid berries

2. the berry of this plant

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Etymology

Origin of cowberry

1790–1800; cow ¹ + berry, for Latin vaccīnium plant name (in New Latin: genus name), derivative of vaccīnus of cows; vaccine

Example Sentences

Also on the list of hosts is Vaccinium vitis-idaea, which includes the cowberry, lingonberry and mountain cranberry.

From Washington Times

The cowberry, or red whortleberry, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea, is sometimes sold for the cranberry.

From Project Gutenberg