inkberry

noun

ink·​ber·​ry ˈiŋk-ˌber-ē 

1

a

: a holly (Ilex glabra) of eastern North America with evergreen oblong leathery leaves and small usually black berries

b

: pokeweed

2

: the fruit of an inkberry

Illustration of inkberry

• inkberry 1a

Examples of inkberry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The inkberry sets black berries that provide sustenance to birds in the winter. —Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2021

Ives said aside from American holly there are two other native holly species in the sanctuary — inkberry (Ilex glabra) and winterberry (Ilex verticillata), along with several other nonnative species. —BostonGlobe.com, 5 Dec. 2019

Would inkberry be a good replacement for my cherry laurel that is always covered with white scale insects? —Ellen Nibali, baltimoresun.com, 3 Oct. 2019

Try extra-tough evergreen holly bushes that don’t get too tall, either native American inkberry (Ilex glabra) or the similar Japanese holly (Ilex crenata). —Boston.com Real Estate, 5 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

from the use of the berries for making ink

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1a