cranberry
Americannoun
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cranberries
plural
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the red, acid fruit or berry of certain plants of the genus Vaccinium, of the heath family, as V. macrocarpon large cranberry, or American cranberry or V. oxycoccus small cranberry, or European cranberry, used in making sauce, relish, jelly, or juice.
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the plant itself, growing wild in bogs or cultivated in acid soils, especially in the northeastern U.S.
noun
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any of several trailing ericaceous shrubs of the genus Vaccinium, such as the European V. oxycoccus, that bear sour edible red berries
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the berry of this plant, used to make sauce or jelly
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of cranberry
An Americanism dating back to 1640–50; from Low German kraanbere; see crane, berry
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Vocabulary lists containing cranberry
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Vibrant and intense, but light on the palate, with complex flavors and aromas of purple flowers, dried herbs, baking spices, raspberry and cranberry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
To attract increasingly discerning consumers, Kroger has offered a precooked holiday meal for eight of turkey or ham, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry and gravy for about $11 a person.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
She said festive items were required this year, such as Christmas cake, cranberry sauce, gravy, and chocolate coins for stockings, as well as essentials such as toilet roll, toothbrushes and deodorant.
From BBC ● Dec. 1, 2025
Observers typically indulge in a hearty meal with staples such as turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
From Barron's ● Nov. 27, 2025
Real Marthas only collect food that they like to eat, like cranberry sauce, dolphin-safe tuna, or baby peas.
From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Holiday staples such as turkey, stuffing and cranberries cost less than in 2024, partly because of widespread discounting, but also because overall demand for turkey and wheat—which is used to make stuffing—has been down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 22, 2025
The roughly $40 basket includes a Butterball frozen turkey, a five-pound bag of potatoes, boxed macaroni and cheese and stuffing mixes, fresh cranberries and the ingredients for a green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 22, 2025
You can whip a bit more cream and make a few more sugared cranberries to top each one.
From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2024
You will find endless ways to incorporate it during the holidays when fresh cranberries are abundant at the grocery store.
From Salon ● Dec. 5, 2024
When we arrived on Christmas Eve, we put up the tree and strung popcorn chains with cranberries on the pine branches.
From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
