barberries

Variant of barberry

barberry definition

bar·berry (bär′ber′ē, -bə rē)

noun pl. barberries -·ries

  1. any of a genus (Berberis) of spiny shrubs of the barberry family, with sour, red berries and yellow flowers: it is often used for hedges
  2. the berry

Etymology: ME berberie (infl. by berie, berry) < ML barberis < Ar barbārīs

adjective

designating a family (Berberidaceae) of mostly spiny dicotyledonous plants, (order Ranunculales), including the May apple and mahonia

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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