cherry

noun

cher·​ry ˈcher-ē How to pronounce cherry (audio)
ˈche-rē
plural cherries
1
a
: any of numerous trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family that bear pale yellow to deep red or blackish smooth-skinned drupes enclosing a smooth seed and that include some cultivated for their fruits or ornamental flowers compare sour cherry, sweet cherry
b
: the fruit of a cherry
c
: the reddish-brown wood of a cherry
especially : black cherry sense 2
2
: a variable color averaging a moderate red
3
informal
a
: hymen
b
4
informal : the burning end of a lit cigarette or cigar
I'm horrified: Dag is burning holes in the roof of the car with the cherry of his cigarette.Douglas Coupland
"Oh lord. Be quiet and maybe he won't find me. Put out your cigarette, Ryder, he'll see the cherry."Julie Buntin
cherrylike
ˈcher-ē-ˌlīk How to pronounce cherry (audio)
ˈche-rē-
adjective

Examples of cherry in a Sentence

The kitchen cabinets are made of cherry.
Recent Examples on the Web The scenic dinners, featuring ingredients from the chef's garden, are the cherry on top of this natural California retreat. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2024 And the cherry on top of the cake is my doll having a miniature Oscar. Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 In just the last four days, the cherry blossom buds at the Tidal Basin have jumped through the first two stages in their bloom process, helped along by abnormally mild weather. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 Birthdays were celebrated with sombreros and ice cream sundaes and, at this location, the cherry on the cake was the view: The 13,000-square-foot restaurant looks right out over the swelling waters of the Bay. John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Contrary to what the youth of today are saying online, eco-friendliness is just the cherry on the top said Lacik. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 4 Mar. 2024 Bookable from March 15, the hotel is offering a Spring Package that includes a private charter boat tour and complimentary cherry blossom amenity. Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 The resulting wine is exceptionally balanced with aromas of cassis, graphite, cardamom, and tart cherry. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024 The cherry blossoms remain a major draw this time of year for Japan. Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cherry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English chery, from Anglo-French cherise, cirice (taken as a plural), from Late Latin ceresia, from Latin cerasus cherry tree, from Greek kerasos

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cherry was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cherry

Cite this Entry

“Cherry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cherry. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cherry

noun
cher·​ry ˈcher-ē How to pronounce cherry (audio)
plural cherries
1
a
: any of numerous trees and shrubs that are related to the roses and have rather small pale yellow to deep blackish red smooth-skinned fruits
b
: the fruit of a cherry
c
: the reddish brown wood of a cherry
2
: a medium red
Etymology

Middle English chery "a cherry," from early French cherise "the cherry" (mistaken as being a plural), derived from Latin cerasus "cherry tree"

Medical Definition

cherry

noun
cher·​ry ˈcher-ē How to pronounce cherry (audio)
plural cherries
1
: any of numerous trees and shrubs (genus Prunus) of the rose family that bear pale yellow to deep red or blackish smooth-skinned drupes enclosing a smooth seed and that belong to any of several varieties including some cultivated for their fruits or ornamental flowers
2
: the fruit of a cherry

More from Merriam-Webster on cherry

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