shrub

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈshrəb 

especially Southern ˈsrəb

: a low usually several-stemmed woody plant

shrub-like adjective

or shrublike

ˈshrəb-ˌlīk 

especially Southern ˈsrəb-

shrub-like plants

shrub

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: an aged blend of fruit juice, sugar, and spirits served chilled and diluted with water

2

: a beverage made by adding acidulated fruit juice to iced water

Examples of shrub in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ornamental Grasses While not technically shrubs, large clumps of ornamental grasses serve similar functions to shrubs in the landscape, such as providing structure, sculptural form, shade, and wildlife habitat. — The Spruce, 8 Nov. 2026

Carefully trim back any shrubs, plants, or overhanging branches to maintain 2 to 3 feet of clearance around the system. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 8 Nov. 2026

How To Use Shrubs And Hedges Azaleas, camellias, abelias, roses, hydrangeas, and gardenias are popular shrubs. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English schrobbe, from Old English scrybb brushwood; akin to Norwegian skrubbebær, a cornel of a dwarf species

Noun (2)

Arabic sharāb beverage

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1706, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shrub

• bub
• club
• cub
• dub
• grub
• hub
• nub
• pub
• rub
• scrub
• snub
• stub

Kids Definition

shrub

noun

ˈshrəb

: a woody plant that has several stems and is smaller than most trees