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cowberry

 - 3 dictionary results

cow⋅ber⋅ry

  [kou-ber-ee, -buh-ree]
Use cowberry in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ries.
1. the berry or fruit of any of various shrubs, esp. Vaccinium vitis-idaea, of the heath family, growing in pastures.
2. any of these shrubs.
Origin:
1790–1800; cow 1 + berry, for L vaccīnium plant name (in NL: genus name), deriv. of vaccīnus of cows; see vaccine

mountain cranberry

 
–noun
a low-growing shrub, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, of the heath family, growing in northern regions and having tart, red, edible berries.
Also called cowberry, lingonberry, lowbush cranberry.

Origin:
1840–50, Americanism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To cowberry
cow·ber·ry   (kou'běr'ē)   
n.   In both senses also called lingberry, lingonberry, mountain cranberry.

  1. A low creeping evergreen shrub (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), native to northern parts of North America and Eurasia and having drooping clusters of small white or pinkish flowers.

  2. The edible red berry of this plant, used to make sauces, jams, and preserves.


[Approximate translation of New Latin Vaccīnium, genus name, from Latin vaccīnium, bilberry (sense uncertain), from vaccīnus, of cows.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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