cranberry

noun cran·ber·ry \ ˈkran-ˌber-ē , -ˌbe-rē , -b(ə-)rē \

Definition of cranberry

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

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Recent Examples of cranberry from the Web

This rare cinsault offers aromas and flavors of cranberry, cherry pipe tobacco and black pepper, backed with sturdy tannins and steely acidity.

— andy perdue, The Seattle Times, "The Rhône Revolution, Part Five: The B team of Washington reds," 2 Aug. 2017
Anthocyanins are found in cherries and cranberries, and create bright, rich reds.

— marissa gold, Country Living, "Here's Why Leaves Change Color In the Fall," 1 Aug. 2017
This entry-level cuvée from Château Minuty is a perfect example, with its delicate flavors of white cranberries and strawberry sorbet, and a steal at this bargain basement price while supplies last.

— marnie old, Philly.com, "Great Wine Values: M de Minuty Rosé Côtes de Provence, France," 19 July 2017
Beverages were coffee, tea or mors, a non-carbonated drink usually made from lingonberry and cranberry.

— joe grimm, Detroit Free Press, "Travel: Exploring the historic walled cities of northwestern Russia," 15 July 2017
Another favorite on the menu is oscypek, an appetizer of sheep cheese that is served warm with cranberries, Agnes Bobak said.

— bob bong, Daily Southtown, "Highlander House serves up homemade Polish cuisine," 11 July 2017
In addition to the standard orange juice, cranberry or mango juice, experiment with other citrus juices such as tangerine or grapefruit.

— debbie arrington, sacbee, "Fruity and fresh twist on cocktails, sodas," 4 July 2017
But while Dolores’s blue dress, Hector’s hand-tooled hat, and the Man in Black’s, well, blacks immediately translate as archetypal, Newton is eager to add her cranberry silk saloon dress to the pile.

— hwd, VanityFair.com, "Thandie Newton on How Westworld’s “Profound” Nude Scenes Gave Maeve Her Voice," 26 June 2017
And its congee menu is short and sweet, with a turmeric-cranberry one that puts oatmeal to shame.

— molly young, Bon Appetit, "13 Places to Eat Healthyish in NYC," 22 June 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of cranberry

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

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First Known Use: 1647

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CRANBERRY Defined for English Language Learners

cranberry

noun

Definition of cranberry for English Language Learners

: a small, dark red berry or the plant that produces it
: a dark red color

CRANBERRY Defined for Kids

cranberry

noun cran·ber·ry \ ˈkran-ˌber-ē \

Definition of cranberry for Students

plural cranberries

:a sour bright red berry that is eaten in sauces and jelly and is the fruit of an evergreen swamp plant related to the blueberries

Learn More about cranberry

See words that rhyme with cranberry Spanish Central: Translation of cranberry Nglish: Translation of cranberry for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cranberry for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cranberry

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