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.

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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

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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

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

Light-bodied, racy acidity with the characteristic grassy, gooseberry flavors of New Zealand savvie.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 13, 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

So over our gooseberry pie we looked at the pros and cons of one, two, three, and four chains, quickly dismissing one- chain helices as incompatible with the evidence in our hands.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

It’s mostly fir trees, but Oliver also pointed out cedar, hemlock, maple, cottonwood and alder trees of varying heights as he bushwhacked through Wednesday, plus huckleberries, gooseberries and devil’s club plants.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 29, 2023

In the 1850s, in a determined effort to create a fruit industry for the Southeast, horticulturists began a selective breeding campaign for peaches and other fruits, including wine grapes, pears, apples and gooseberries.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2023

He recommends gooseberries, though any other fruit will do.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 28, 2020

The bushes popped with gooseberries and red and black currants.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 25, 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