cranberry

noun

cran·​ber·​ry ˈkran-ˌber-ē How to pronounce cranberry (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Borrowing inspiration from the Rose Parade, the floats feature everything from silk flowers to coffee beans, crushed pine cones and cranberry seeds. Nikki Dementri, CBS News, 23 June 2026 This item has mayo, turkey, fresh sprouts, cranberry sauce, and cream cheese on sourdough. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026 The Bavarian burger with cranberry mayo goes well with an alcohol‑free Gutmann hefeweizen. David Dickstein, Oc Register, 10 June 2026 Pomegranate juice is a better source of potassium, with a cup covering 11% of the DV, while cranberry juice is higher in vitamin C, offering 26% of the DV per cup. Jillian Kubala, Health, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cranberry

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of cranberry was in 1647

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Cite this Entry

“Cranberry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cranberry. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

cranberry

noun
cran·​ber·​ry ˈkran-ˌber-ē How to pronounce cranberry (audio)
-b(ə-)rē
: the bright red sour berry of any of several trailing plants related to the blueberry
also : a plant producing these

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