cranberry

noun

cran·​ber·​ry ˈkran-ˌber-ē 

-ˌbe-rē, 

-b(ə-)rē

1

: the red acid berry produced by some plants (such as Vaccinium oxycoccos and V. macrocarpon) of the heath family

also : a plant producing these

2

: any of various plants with a fruit that resembles a cranberry

3

: a dark red

Examples of cranberry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This item has mayo, turkey, fresh sprouts, cranberry sauce, and cream cheese on sourdough. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026

Sweet sauces like honey mustard or cranberry spread can increase the spike. — Verywell Health, 6 July 2026

Nseyo says cranberries are shown to help with UTI prevention. — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Put a fresh twist on classic chicken salad by adding tarragon, cranberries, and toasted almonds. — Kelsey Ogletree, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

partial translation of Low German kraanbere, from kraan crane + bere berry

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cranberry

• cranberry bush
• highbush cranberry
• mountain cranberry

Rhymes for cranberry

• askari
• astbury
• azeri
• banbury
• barberry
• blackberry
• blueberry
• canary
• dentary
• dewberry
• dogberry
• equerry

Kids Definition

cranberry

noun

cran·​ber·​ry ˈkran-ˌber-ē 

-b(ə-)rē

: the bright red sour berry of any of several trailing plants related to the blueberry

also : a plant producing these