cowberry

[kou-ber-ee, -buh-ree]

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.

cowberry

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowberry¹

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.

Read more on Washington Times

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

Read more on Project Gutenberg