inkberry

American

[ingk-ber-ee, -buh-ree] / ˈɪŋkˌbɛr i, -bə ri /

noun

Also called gallberry. a shrub, Ilex glabra, having leathery, evergreen leaves and black berries.
the pokeweed.
the berry of either plant.

inkberry British

/ ˈɪŋkˌbɛrɪ /

noun

a North American holly tree, Ilex glabra, with black berry-like fruits
another name for the pokeweed
the fruit of either of these plants

"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

Noun Inflected Forms

inkberries

plural

Etymology

Origin of inkberry

An Americanism dating back to 1755–65; ink + berry

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

inkberry

The name inkberry was given to the plant because of the strong stain of the berry juice which was sometimes used for ink.

From On the Trail An Outdoor Book for Girls by Lina Beard

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