checkerberry

noun

check·​er·​ber·​ry ˈche-kər-ˌber-ē How to pronounce checkerberry (audio)
-ˌbe-rē
1
: the spicy red berrylike fruit of a North American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
2
: a plant producing checkerberries

Illustration of checkerberry

Illustration of checkerberry

Word History

Etymology

checker "the wild service tree Torminalis glaberrima" (originally a dialectal word, of uncertain origin) + berry entry 1

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of checkerberry was in 1776

Dictionary Entries Near checkerberry

checkerbelly

checkerberry

checkerbloom

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Checkerberry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/checkerberry. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

checkerberry

noun
check·​er·​ber·​ry ˈchek-ə(r)-ˌber-ē How to pronounce checkerberry (audio)
: wintergreen sense 1a
also : the spicy red fruit of a checkerberry

More from Merriam-Webster on checkerberry

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about checkerberry

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