cru

American

[kroo, kry] / kru, krü /

noun

(in France) a vineyard producing wine of high quality, sometimes classified by the government as either a Great Growth Grand Cru or a First Growth Premier Cru.

cru British

/ kruː, kry /

noun

winemaking (in France) a vineyard, group of vineyards, or wine-producing region

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

crus

plural

Etymology

Origin of cru

1815–25; < French, noun use of crû, past participle of croître to grow < Latin crēscere

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.

Borel steered them to the inn’s grand cru selections.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

For example, enjoying an exceptional Burgundy grand cru while overlooking the vineyards where it was produced, after a guided estate tour with the winemaker sharing its story, elevates the experience.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2025

This lively red from the Beaujolais cru appellation of Morgon is rich with cherry and bramble flavors.

From Washington Post • Jan. 12, 2023

Owen: The Champagne comes from Jannison, which is a grand cru site located in Verzenay, France.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2022

Voilà ce qu'il présente, ou au moins ce que j'ai cru y voir; et ce sont probablement ces défauts qui ont fait donner à son poeme le nom dégradant d'Itinéraire, sous lequel il est connu.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10 Asia, Part III by Hakluyt, Richard

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023