cherry

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noun cher·ry \ ˈcher-ē , ˈche-rē \

Definition of cherry

plural cherries

1 a :any of numerous trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family that bear pale yellow to deep red or blackish smooth-skinned drupes enclosing a smooth seed and that include some cultivated for their fruits or ornamental flowers — compare sour cherry, sweet cherry

b :the fruit of a cherry

c :the reddish-brown wood of a cherry; especially :black cherry 2

2 :a variable color averaging a moderate red

3 a :hymen

b :virginity

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cherrylike

play \-ˌlīk\ adjective

See cherry defined for English-language learners

See cherry defined for kids

Examples of cherry in a Sentence

The kitchen cabinets are made of cherry.

Recent Examples of cherry from the Web

Shaw also grows strawberries, blueberries and cherries that can be picked by customers.

— david anderson, The Aegis, "Popular orchard on Mason-Dixon Line could be in path of big power line project," 3 Aug. 2017
Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg Montmorency cherries fall off the edge of a conveyor belt at the Seaquist Orchard processing facility in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, on Monday.

— Bloomberg.com, "Bloomberg’s Week in Pictures," 28 July 2017
Maybe even Copenhagen. Carla's lazy eggs in purgatory recipe: Any type of tomatoes will work, though cherry tomatoes hold their shape well.

— carla lalli music, Bon Appetit, "A Lazy-Morning Eggs Recipe Because Cooking On Vacation Is Secretly the Best," 10 July 2017
At dinnertime one night this week, Cane Rosso’s Capra salad ($9) offered a guiltless serving of greens, fresh tomatoes, pancetta, pecans, dried cherries and goat cheese.

— bud kennedy, star-telegram, "Cane Rosso’s Magnolia all-stars: Heim BBQ pizzas, Melt ice cream," 29 June 2017
Order a shake or malt in cherry, chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla.

— julia sayers, AL.com, "7 milkshakes you need to try this summer," 26 June 2017
Oui comes in eight flavors: strawberry, blueberry, black cherry, vanilla, coconut, lemon, peach, and plain, and each is packaged in an individual glass pot.

— lynsey eidell, Teen Vogue, "Yoplait Launches French-Style Yogurt Called 'Oui'," 26 June 2017
Michigan produces almost 75 percent of tart cherries in the U.S.

— birmingham magazine, AL.com, "Learn to cook with cherries in dishes both sweet and savory," 23 June 2017
That wasn’t the cherry on top for Holmgren, rather the main course.

— jace frederick, Twin Cities, "3A state golf: Wayzata reigns in boys, individual co-champions in girls," 14 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cherry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cherry

Middle English chery, from Anglo-French cherise, cirice (taken as a plural), from Late Latin ceresia, from Latin cerasus cherry tree, from Greek kerasos

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First Known Use: 14th century

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CHERRY Defined for English Language Learners

cherry

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noun

Definition of cherry for English Language Learners

: a small round fruit that is usually red or black
: a tree on which this fruit grows
: the wood of a cherry tree

CHERRY Defined for Kids

cherry

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noun cher·ry \ ˈcher-ē \

Definition of cherry for Students

plural cherries

1 :the small round yellow to deep red smooth-skinned fruit of a tree that is related to the plum tree

2 :a medium red

Medical Dictionary

cherry

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noun cher·ry \ ˈcher-ē \

medical Definition of cherry

plural cherries

1 :any of numerous trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family that bear pale yellow to deep red or blackish smooth-skinned drupes enclosing a smooth seed and that belong to any of several varieties including some cultivated for their fruits or ornamental flowers

2 :the fruit of a cherry