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

Spray off the sticky white strands and the bugs using sharp spray from the Bug Blaster, then use a very thick layer of worm castings to cover all the soil under the shrub. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025

Native shrubs perfect for fall Chokeberry Chokeberry features crimson or orange leaves in autumn, with red berries that can persist through winter. —Chris McKeown, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Sep. 2025

Since this shrub blooms on new wood, wait until late winter or early spring just as green buds emerge to promote healthy growth. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025

Break up the plantings of shrubs with clusters of attractive evergreen trees. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025

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

Rhymes for shrub

• bub
• club
• cub
• dub
• grub
• hub
• nub
• pub
• rub
• scrub
• snub
• stub

Kids Definition

shrub

noun

ˈshrəb

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