greenbrier

noun

green·​bri·​er ˈgrēn-ˌbrī(-ə)r How to pronounce greenbrier (audio)
: any of a genus (Smilax) of woody or herbaceous vines of the greenbrier family
especially : a prickly vine (S. rotundifolia) of the eastern U.S. with umbels of small greenish flowers

Examples of greenbrier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some of the most common and favored include ash, aspen, bitterbrush, blackgum, dewberry, dogwood, greenbrier, hickory, honeysuckle, maple, mountain laurel, oak, popular, sagebrush, sumac, willow, and more. Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 31 Jan. 2023 Angiosperms, or flowering plants that have seeds enclosed by an ovary or fruit, are broken into monocots (one seed leaf, like grasses, yuccas, greenbrier and palms) and dicots (with two seed leaves, like apples, cherries and dogwoods). Janet B. Carson, Arkansas Online, 15 May 2021 Look instead for greenbrier, honeysuckle, plum, laurel, sumac, blackberry, clear-cuts, browse, and forbs in the woods or natural clearings. Jeff Murray, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greenbrier was circa 1785

Dictionary Entries Near greenbrier

Cite this Entry

“Greenbrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greenbrier. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on greenbrier

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!