whortleberry

American  

[hwur-tl-ber-ee, wur-] / ˈʰwɜr tlˌbɛr i, ˈwɜr- /

noun

plural

whortleberries

1. the edible black berry of a Eurasian shrub, Vaccinium myrtillus, of the heath family.

2. the shrub itself.

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whortleberry British  

/ ˈwɜːtəlˌbɛrɪ /

noun

1. Also called : huckleberry.   hurt.   whort.  a small Eurasian ericaceous shrub, Vaccinium myrtillus , greenish-pink flowers and edible sweet blackish berries

2. the fruit of this shrub

3. a related plant, V. uliginosum, of mountain regions, having pink flowers and black fruits

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Etymology

Origin of whortleberry

First recorded in 1570–80; dialectal variant of hurtleberry

Example Sentences

Mr. Glass continued in an interrogative vein as mordant as the whortleberry juice of his beautiful homeland.

From Time Magazine Archive

For the most part it was covered with a thick growth of gorse and whortleberry, and low tough thorns, though here and there clearings opened, the scars of recent fires.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Better still: drink toast- or rice-water; kefyr, four days old; koumiss; lactic-acid water; zoolak; egg lemonade; sterilized milk with one third lime-water; whortleberry wine; acorn cocoa; unfermented grape-juice.

From Intestinal Ills Chronic Constipation, Indigestion, Autogenetic Poisons, Diarrhea, Piles, Etc. Also Auto-Infection, Auto-Intoxication, Anemia, Emaciation, Etc. Due to Proctitis and Colitis by Jamison, Alcinous B. (Alcinous Burton)

The cowberry, or red whortleberry, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea, is sometimes sold for the cranberry.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6 "Coucy-le-Château" to "Crocodile" by Various

These girls without baskets such as the bilberry and whortleberry pickers, and raspberry gatherers had to carry.

From The Children of Alsace Les Oberl?s by Bazin, Ren?