partridgeberry

American  

[pahr-trij-ber-ee] / ˈpɑr trɪdʒˌbɛr i /

noun

partridgeberries plural

1. a North American trailing plant, Mitchella repens, of the madder family, having roundish evergreen leaves, fragrant white flowers, and scarlet berries.

---

partridgeberry British  

/ ˈpɑːtrɪdʒˌbɛrɪ /

noun

1. Also called: boxberry.   twinberry.  a creeping woody rubiaceous plant, Mitchella repens, of E North America with small white fragrant flowers and scarlet berries

2. the berry of the wintergreen

3. another name for wintergreen

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• partridgeberries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of partridgeberry

First recorded in 1705–15; partridge + berry

Example Sentences

At the base of a white pine, partridgeberry forms a fine-textured carpet.

From Washington Post • Sep. 14, 2021

He also serves breast of rock ptarmigan and breast of spruce grouse, roasted over an open fire and served together on a plate drizzled with wild partridgeberry coulis.

From New York Times • Jul. 19, 2017

Seasonal menus may include moose burger, 15 dollars; lobster pasta, 16 dollars; partridgeberry bread pudding, 6 dollars.

From New York Times • Jul. 23, 2014

The partridgeberry likes pine forests and dry woods.

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