cherry

noun cher·ry \ ˈcher-ē , ˈche-rē \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

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

—

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

During that time, the winger honed in on his ability before another bite of the cherry with Liverpool.

— SI.com, "100 Million Strong: Egyptian King Mohamed Salah Is Here to Create This Summer," 19 June 2018
Chicken liver pate studded with cherry preserve and puffed grains served on Tartine bread.

— chronicle staff, SFChronicle.com, "A guide to navigating a hassle-free Mission," 17 June 2018
His father made wine, not from grapes, but with leftover cherries grown in his grandmother’s orchard.

— gillian ferguson, Los Angeles Magazine, "Meet the 26-Year-Old Sommelier Behind Maude’s Coveted Wine Collection," 15 June 2018
The pour of the day was Pennyroyal’s 2015 Jeansheep Vineyard Pinot, dark and spicy with notes of morello cherry.

— jody rosen, Smithsonian, "This Secret Corner of California Is a Paradise for Lovers of Great Food and Top-Notch Wines," 14 June 2018
The pearlized cherry red upper gives the sneaker some pizazz, while the black sole, black Swoosh logo, and black laces keep the vibe from feeling too garish.

— tyler watamanuk, GQ, "The Nike Force Posite Is the Rare Sneaker Mashup That Works," 7 June 2018
This condo packs a lot into a small space, including granite countertops in the kitchen, cherry hardwood floors throughout, and in-unit washer and dryer.

— shannon rooney, Philly.com, "Living in close quarters: Philly condos of 600 square feet or less," 21 May 2018
Gambling addicts may, for example, learn to confront irrational beliefs, namely the notion that a string of losses or a near miss—such as two out of three cherries on a slot machine—signals an imminent win.

— ferris jabr, Scientific American, "How the Brain Gets Addicted to Gambling," 14 May 2018
To get a taste of the state, visit Cherry Republic downtown, (offering all kinds of foods made with the famous Michigan cherries).

— julia sayers, AL.com, "Explore this Michigan college town's food and art scene," 30 Apr. 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

CHERRY Defined for English Language Learners

cherry

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

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

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