barberry

[ bahr-ber-ee, -buh-ree ]
/ ˈbɑrˌbɛr i, -bə ri /

noun, plural bar·ber·ries.

a shrub of the genus Berberis, especially B. vulgaris, having yellow flowers in elongated clusters. Compare barberry family.
the red, elongated, acid fruit of this shrub.

Origin of barberry

1350–1400; Middle English barbere < Medieval Latin barbaris (< Arabic barbāris), with -baris conformed to bere berry

Words nearby barberry

barber's itch, barber's pole, barber-surgeon, barbera, barberite, barberry, barberry family, barbershop, barbershop singing, barbershopper, barberton

Example sentences from the Web for barberry

British Dictionary definitions for barberry

barberry
/ (ˈbɑːbərɪ) /

noun plural -ries

any spiny berberidaceous shrub of the widely distributed genus Berberis, esp B. vulgaris, having clusters of yellow flowers and orange or red berries: widely cultivated as hedge plants
the fruit of any of these plants

Word Origin for barberry

C15: from Old French berberis, from Arabic barbāris