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

Heavy clay also holds onto moisture for an eternity, which many flowers and shrubs can’t tolerate. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 29 July 2026

Native grasses, shrubs, and trees work to revive the lake’s shoreline, while rainwater harvesting, pollinator gardens, composting, low-flow plumbing, bee hives, and biodegradable amenities further Caroll and Rasch’s conservation efforts. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026

At the base, blueberry shrubs have multiple canes (or branches) that grow directly out of the earth in clumps. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 July 2026

And planted shrubs like Artemisia create severe seasonal allergy outbreaks in nearby populations, driving the need for a more durable and eco-friendly solution. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 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