cranberry

American  

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

noun

• cranberries
  plural

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.

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cranberry British  

/ ˈkrænbərɪ, -brɪ /

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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cranberries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cranberry

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

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Compare meaning

How does cranberry compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• lingonberry vs. cranberry

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cranberry cranberries

The findings suggest that cranberry juice may interfere with two important processes involved in tooth decay: the buildup of bacterial plaque and the production of damaging acids.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

New research suggests that pure, unsweetened cranberry juice can slow the growth of dental plaque and reduce the production of acids that contribute to tooth decay.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

“It’s cranberry, oatmeal and gluten-free. Who knows if there’s any sugar in there?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Not everyone shares her exhilaration at spotting a cranberry blue and a northern blue in a Danish wetland.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

So she tells me, the words dribbling out with the cranberry muffin crumbs, commas dunked in her coffee.

From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson

One reason is that cranberries contain compounds called proanthocyanidins, which have anti-inflammatory properties and can interfere with the ability of certain bacteria, including E. coli, to attach to cells.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

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

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

One cup of whole, raw cranberries contains 190 calories.

From Salon ● Nov. 25, 2024

In the controversy that followed seizure of contaminated cranberries by the Food and Drug Administration, the fact that the chemical actually is cancer producing was widely challenged, even by many medical men.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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