gooseberry

[ goos-ber-ee, -buh-ree, gooz- ]

noun

, plural goose·ber·ries.

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 (or R. grossularia ).
2. a shrub bearing this fruit.

gooseberry

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of gooseberry¹

First recorded in 1525–35; goose + berry

Example Sentences

You can also see the remains of the “gooseberry”—the artificial breakwater the Allies created off the beach.

From The Daily Beast

It was gooseberry jam, and Bumper hated gooseberries, although he had never tasted of them before.

From Project Gutenberg

Bumper squealed with fright, and turned to the left to find shelter under some prickly gooseberry bushes.

From Project Gutenberg

To cut or prune gooseberry and currant-trees is very simple.

From Project Gutenberg

Gooseberry-trees should be cut differently from currant-trees.

From Project Gutenberg

The fruit is very agreeable, and in taste resembles the gooseberry, and is very cooling.

From Project Gutenberg