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cranberry

American  
[kran-ber-ee, -buh-ree] / ˈkrænˌbɛr i, -bə ri /

noun

plural

cranberries
  1. 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.

  2. the plant itself, growing wild in bogs or cultivated in acid soils, especially in the northeastern U.S.


cranberry British  
/ -brɪ, ˈkrænbərɪ /

noun

  1. any of several trailing ericaceous shrubs of the genus Vaccinium, such as the European V. oxycoccus, that bear sour edible red berries

  2. the berry of this plant, used to make sauce or jelly

"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

Etymology

Origin of cranberry

An Americanism dating back to 1640–50; from Low German kraanbere; see crane, berry

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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.

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

I think people who don’t like cranberry sauce just haven’t had one worth their while yet.

From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025

Founder and CEO Caitlin Braam deems the Negroni-ish Cashmere, a cranberry cider with dark cherry and bitter orange peel, a particularly good fit for the holidays: “It evokes this warm wintry feeling and vibe.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Even when it was not real cold, she wore a cranberry red hat that she pulled down over her ears.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

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