dogberry

noun, plural dog·ber·ries.

the berry or fruit of any of various plants, as the European dogwood, Cornus sanguinea, the chokeberry, Aronia arbutifolia, or the mountain ash, Sorbus americana.

the plant itself.

any of several plants, especially the dog rose, bearberry, and guelder rose.

Origin:
1545–55; dog + berry

Dictionary.com Unabridged

noun, plural Dog·ber·rys for 2.

a foolish constable in Shakespeare's Much Ado About nothing.

any foolish, blundering, or stupid official.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To dogberry

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Dogberry is always a great word to know.

So is ort. Does it mean:

a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

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World English Dictionary

dogberry¹ (ˈdɒɡˌbɛrɪ, -bərɪ, -brɪ)

—n , pl -ries
1.	any of certain plants that have berry-like fruits, such as the European dogwood or the bearberry
2.	the fruit of any of these plants

dogberry² (ˈdɒɡˌbɛrɪ, -bərɪ, -brɪ)

—n , pl -ries
	(sometimes capital) a foolish, meddling, and usually old official

[after Dogberry, character in Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing (1598)]

'dogberryism²

—n

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Example sentences

Other common names: pegwood dogberry common dogwood.

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Matching Quote

"Conrade. Away! You are an ass, you are an ass.
Dogberry. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years?"

-Shakespeare

dogberry

dog·ber·ry

Dog·ber·ry