American gooseberry

noun

: any of several tropical American shrubs constituting a genus Heterotrichum of the family Melastomaceae and being often cultivated in warm regions for their showy panicles of white or pink flowers

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!