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

There are more than a dozen Texas Ranger shrubs in the Leucophyllum genus, including eight-foot-tall giants and a three-foot compact type. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 18 Oct. 2025

Most recently, in 2024, the university implemented a comprehensive revitalization effort for the shrubs—uprooting and replanting them in new soil with improved irrigation and drainage—marking the third removal. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025

While more plants may seem beneficial, TNC points out that the tree and shrub takeover is damaging to the natural grassland ecosystem present in the preserve. —Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025

The key to making green-on-green palette looking lush, not one note, is keep it to mix plants and shrubs with different forms and textures. —Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025

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