cranberry

noun

cran·​ber·​ry ˈkran-ˌber-ē 

-ˌbe-rē,

-b(ə-)rē

1

: the red acid berry produced by some plants (such as Vaccinium oxycoccos and V. macrocarpon) of the heath family

also : a plant producing these

2

: any of various plants with a fruit that resembles a cranberry

3

: a dark red

Examples of cranberry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bright, deep garnet with purple tints; aromas of cranberry, red plum, myrtle and violet. —Tom Hyland, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

This Pinot Noir has aromas of wild strawberry, bramble, and black cherry with silky smooth tannins and flavors of cranberry, pomegranate, and red plum. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2025

Monday April 7, Chicken Feta Salad with cranberries, walnuts, garbanzo beans, tomato and cucumber, tropical fruit, whole grain roll, milk. —Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025

Since 2014, wild blueberries, cranberries and mushrooms — among the most radioactive foods after the Chernobyl accident — from the Ukrainian part of Polesia are being shipped for processing to Poland before entering the EU market. —Franziska Exeler, The Dial, 18 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

partial translation of Low German kraanbere, from kraan crane + bere berry

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cranberry

• cranberry bush
• highbush cranberry
• mountain cranberry

Rhymes for cranberry

• askari
• astbury
• azeri
• banbury
• barberry
• blackberry
• blueberry
• canary
• dentary
• dewberry
• dogberry
• equerry

Kids Definition

cranberry

noun

cran·​ber·​ry ˈkran-ˌber-ē 

-b(ə-)rē

: the bright red sour berry of any of several trailing plants related to the blueberry

also : a plant producing these