shrub

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈshrəb 

 especially Southern  ˈsrəb

: a low usually several-stemmed woody plant

shrub-like adjective

or shrublike

ˈshrəb-ˌlīk 

 especially Southern  ˈsrəb-

shrub-like plants

shrub

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: an aged blend of fruit juice, sugar, and spirits served chilled and diluted with water

2

: a beverage made by adding acidulated fruit juice to iced water

Examples of shrub in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ornamental plants Drought tolerant shrubs need little care this time of year. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2024

Your lawn, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables will need to be fed again as soon as possible. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 May 2024

Tree Peonies Also called woody peonies, these peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa) are upright, woody perennial shrubs with large flowers that bloom in April or May, before herbaceous varieties. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 22 May 2024

Maintain Landscaping: Trim trees, bushes, and shrubs regularly to prevent them from touching your home’s exterior. —Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 21 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English schrobbe, from Old English scrybb brushwood; akin to Norwegian skrubbebær, a cornel of a dwarf species

Noun (2)

Arabic sharāb beverage

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

shrub

noun

ˈshrəb

: a woody plant that has several stems and is smaller than most trees