berry

¹ber·ry

noun \ˈber-ē, ˈbe-rē\

plural berries

Definition of BERRY

1

a : a pulpy and usually edible fruit (as a strawberry, raspberry, or checkerberry) of small size irrespective of its structure

b : a simple fruit (as a grape, blueberry, tomato, or cucumber) with a pulpy or fleshy pericarp

c : the dry seed of some plants (as wheat)

2

: an egg of a fish or lobster

Origin of BERRY

Middle English berye, from Old English berie; akin to Old High German beri berry

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with BERRY

aerie, airy, bury, Carey, cherry, chary, dairy, Derry, faerie, fairy, ferry, Gerry, glairy, glary, hairy, Jerry, kerry, Mary, marry, merry, nary, perry, prairie, query, scary, serry, Shari, sherry, skerry, terry, Terry, vary, very, wary, wherry

²berry

intransitive verb

ber·ried ber·ry·ing

Definition of BERRY

1

: to bear or produce berries <a berrying shrub>

2

: to gather or seek berries

First Known Use of BERRY

circa 1780

Ber·ry

geographical name \be-ˈrē\

Definition of BERRY

former province cen France ∗ Bourges

berry

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Simple, fleshy fruit that usually has many seeds (e.g., the banana, tomato, or cranberry). The middle and inner layers of the fruit wall often are not distinct from each other. Any small, fleshy fruit is popularly called a berry, especially if it is edible. Raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are not true berries, but rather aggregate fruits—fruits that consist of multiple smaller fruits. The date is a one-seeded berry whose stone is hard nutritive tissue.