bilberry

bil·ber·ry

noun \ˈbil-ˌber-ē, -ˌbe-rē\

Definition of BILBERRY

1

: any of several ericaceous shrubs (genus Vaccinium) that resemble blueberries but have flowers which arise solitary or in very small clusters from axillary buds; especially : a Eurasian shrub (Vaccinium myrtillus)

2

: the sweet edible fruit of the bilberry; also : an extract of this fruit used in medicine

Origin of BILBERRY

bil- (probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Dan bølle whortleberry) + berry

First Known Use: 1577

Other Seed Plant Terms

aubergine, box, bramble, briar, composite, perpetual, pulse, trefoil

Rhymes with BILBERRY

baneberry, barberry, bayberry, bearberry, blackberry, black cherry, blaeberry, blueberry, Bradbury, bunchberry, Burberry, canary, chokeberry, chokecherry, cloudberry, contrary, costmary, cowberry, cranberry, crowberry, deerberry, equerry, gooseberry, ground-cherry, hackberry, Hail Mary, inkberry, Juneberry, knobkerrie, library, mulberry, nondairy, pokeberry, primary, raspberry, rosemary, scalare, shadberry, snowberry, soapberry, strawberry, summary, sweet cherry, teaberry, tilbury, tooth fairy, twinberry, unwary, vagary, wheat berry, wolfberry, youngberry

bilberry

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Low-growing deciduous shrub (Vaccinium myrtillus) of the heath family, found in woods and on heaths, chiefly in hilly districts of Britain, northern Europe, and Asia. The stiff stems bear small egg-shaped leaves and small rosy flowers tinged with green. The dark blue, waxy berries are an important food of the grouse and are used for tarts and preserves. They are borne singly, unlike those of the much more productive cultivated blueberries of the U.S. (V. australe), which are borne in long clusters.