strawberry

noun

straw·​ber·​ry ˈstrȯ-ˌber-ē How to pronounce strawberry (audio)
-b(ə-)rē
often attributive
1
: the juicy edible usually red fruit of any of several low-growing temperate herbs (genus Fragaria) of the rose family that is technically an enlarged pulpy receptacle bearing numerous achenes on its surface
2
: a plant whose fruits are strawberries
especially : a hybrid (Fragaria ananassa) that is the source of most cultivated strawberries

Illustration of strawberry

Illustration of strawberry

Examples of strawberry 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.
Each tier was a different flavor, from bottom to top: butter vanilla with strawberry filling, chocolate with raspberry filling, and strawberry with strawberry cream cheese filling. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 22 June 2025 Plates champion some of the best local and seasonal ingredients for shareable dishes like white asparagus with pickled strawberries and goat cheese or bluefin tuna with garden peas and grilled padron peppers with pil pil sauce. Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2025 Customers have been using the new guava spread in place of typical strawberry or blueberry jam for a more tropical PB&J and have been spreading it onto breakfast staples, like pancakes or waffles. Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2025 There’s also a balsamic vinegar included, which is great in a salad dressing or to drizzle over mozzarella or strawberries. Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for strawberry

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English strēawberige, from strēaw straw + berige berry; perhaps from the appearance of the achenes on the surface

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of strawberry was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Strawberry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strawberry. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

strawberry

noun
straw·​ber·​ry ˈstrȯ-ˌber-ē How to pronounce strawberry (audio)
-b(ə-)rē
: an edible juicy red fruit of a low-growing herb with white flowers and long slender runners
also : a plant that bears strawberries

More from Merriam-Webster on strawberry

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