barberry

See also: Barberry

English

Etymology

From Middle English berberie, from Medieval Latin berberis (on which see Arabic بَرْبَارِيس (barbārīs)), influenced by berie (“berry”).[1] Doublet of berberis and related to Berber.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɑɹbɛɹi/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Noun

barberry (plural barberries)

  1. Any of the thorny shrubs of genus Berberis, which bear yellow flowers and red or blue-black berries.
    Synonym: berberis
    • 1583, Philip Barrough [i.e., Philip Barrow], “Of Making Bolus”, in The Methode of Phisicke, Conteyning the Causes, Signes, and Cures of Inward Diseases in Mans Body from the Head to the Foote. […], London: […] Thomas Vautroullier […], →OCLC, book VI, page 288:
      BOlvs in Engliſh is called a morſell. It is a medicine laxatiue, in forme & faſhion it is meanely whole, & it is ſwallowed by litle gobbets. […] ℞. medulla caſiæ fiſtulæ newly drawen. ℥. j. or ʒ. x. the graines (that is the kernelles) of barbaries. ℈. ß. and with ſugar roſet [sugar compounded with rose petals] make a bole.
  2. The edible fruit of these shrubs.

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ “berberie, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Further reading

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