elderberry

[el-der-ber-ee, -buh-ree]

noun

plural

elderberries 

1. the berrylike fruit of the elder, old, used in making wine and jelly.

2. elder.

elderberry

/ ˈɛldəˌbɛrɪ /

noun

1. the berry-like fruit of the elder, used for making wines, jellies, etc

2. another name for elder 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of elderberry¹

First recorded in 1400–50, elderberry is from the late Middle English word eldirbery. See elder ², berry

Example Sentences

Back before California was settled by Europeans and others, the Miwok and Nisenan subsisted on a hunter-gatherer diet of acorns, venison, salmon, pine nuts, elderberries, and other berries and plants.

From Los Angeles Times

We have passion fruit vines everywhere, and elderberry.

From Los Angeles Times

In February, during a gnarly bout of the flu, I found both comfort and strength in my very first cup of elderberry lemon balm tea.

From Salon

Maybe they garner attention for purported health benefits, as did the native elderberry.

From Salon

He pressed the juice from elderberries he had garnered earlier in the month and stored it in clay pots to let it turn to wine.

From Literature

When To Use

What else does elderberry mean?

Elderberries are edible, bluish purple berries popularly used to help fight colds and flus.Elderberries are humorously referenced in a popular quote from the 1975 comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail: "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."