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

Simple tasks like edging lawns, pruning shrubs, and tidying up can instantly enhance curb appeal. — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2026

Habitats include salt marsh, cranberry bogs and maritime shrubs and forests. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 23 Sep. 2026

According to Stanford Medicine, ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychedelic derived from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub. — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Ibogaine, a psychoactive compound made from the roots of an African shrub, has been gaining popularity as a treatment for opioid and cocaine addiction. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 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