gooseberry

American  

[goos-ber-ee, -buh-ree, gooz-] / ˈgusˌbɛr i, -bə ri, ˈguz- /

noun

• gooseberries
  plural

1. the edible, acid, globular, sometimes spiny fruit of certain prickly shrubs belonging to the genus Ribes, of the saxifrage family, especially R. uva-crispa (orR. grossularia ).

2. a shrub bearing this fruit.

---

gooseberry British  

/ ˈɡʊzbərɪ, -brɪ /

noun

1. a Eurasian shrub, Ribes uva-crispa (or R. grossularia ), having greenish, purple-tinged flowers and ovoid yellow-green or red-purple berries: family Grossulariaceae See also currant

2. 1. the berry of this plant

   2. ( as modifier )

      gooseberry jam

3. informal an unwanted single person in a group of couples, esp a third person with a couple (often in the phrase play gooseberry )

4. a tropical American solanaceous plant, Physalis peruviana, naturalized in southern Africa, having yellow flowers and edible yellow berries See also ground cherry

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• gooseberries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of gooseberry

First recorded in 1525–35; goose + berry

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gooseberry gooseberries

This possesses herbal and nutty tones on the palate alongside a good concentration of gooseberry and kiwi fruit flavors — nice texture.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2024

Eventually, if all goes as hoped, patches of Gary oak, desert gooseberry, and mock orange will take hold and a lush ribbon of cottonwood, willow, and ash trees will line the banks of the river.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 18, 2023

All Indians have dozens of pickles at their disposal: assorted or mixed pickles, lime, chili, gooseberry — the list goes on.

From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2022

"There was no point asking him what he wanted. It was always fish and chips, a gooseberry pancake and cup of tea. I think he had a genuine fear of things he couldn't control."

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2021

Lady Constance was no help either, and offhandedly suggested that the kitchen serve gooseberry pie to the villagers instead of bread and satisfy the people that way.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Hiking through the Wishbone area last summer, advocates noted cedar, hemlock, maple, cottonwood and alder trees, as well as huckleberries, gooseberries and devil’s club plants.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 2, 2024

Spicy green mango is a staple of achar throughout India, though you'll also find achars made from carrots, gooseberries, lemons and limes while scouring the country's infinite, technicolor markets.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2023

Ms. Prabakaran’s mother-in-law, though, scheduled her days around food, preserving new batches of seasonal pickles every week, sending Ms. Prabakaran home with jars of gooseberries in yogurt, sweet-and-sour orange peel and stuffed Bengal plums.

From New York Times ● Jan. 6, 2020

Wash the gooseberries and cut off the little brown tops.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 17, 2019

The pie in my hands would win first prize since nobody but Grandma would take a chance with gooseberries.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck