shrub

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈshrəb How to pronounce shrub (audio)
 especially Southern  ˈsrəb
: a low usually several-stemmed woody plant
shrub-like adjective
or shrublike
ˈshrəb-ˌlīk How to pronounce shrub (audio)
 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
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.
Noun
Low-growing evergreens such as spreading yews, which are pruned more naturally with an open habit, and evergreen trees, such as crabapples, and shrubs, such as viburnums, can also provide shelter and food. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025 Delay transplanting established in-ground trees and shrubs until late fall or winter. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025 These vertically-growing perennials, annuals, shrubs, and trees maximize gardening space by growing upwards, not outwards. Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2025 There is a special kind of pride that comes with seeing a homegrown, burgeoning shrub with conical, foot-long inflorescences, each of which is composed of more than a hundred of tiny florets that are blanketed with nectar-seeking bees. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for shrub

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrub was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrub.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrub. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

shrub

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

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