Cherry

Cher′ry (chĕr′ry̆), n. [OE. chery, for cherys, fr. F. cerise (cf. AS. cyrs cherry), fr. LL. ceresia, fr. L. cerasus Cherry tree, Gr. κερασός, perh. fr. κέρας horn, from the hardness of the wood.] 1. (Bot.) A tree or shrub of the genus Prunus (Which also includes the plum) bearing a fleshy drupe with a bony stone; (a) The common garden cherry (Prunus Cerasus), of which several hundred varieties are cultivated for the fruit, some of which are, the begarreau, blackheart, black Tartarian, oxheart, morelle or morello, May-duke (corrupted from Médoc in France). (b) The wild cherry; as, Prunus serotina (wild black cherry), valued for its timber; P. Virginiana (choke cherry), an American shrub which bears astringent fruit; P. avium and P. Padus, European trees (bird cherry).

2. The fruit of the cherry tree, a drupe of various colors and flavors.

3. The timber of the cherry tree, esp. of the black cherry, used in cabinetmaking, etc.

4. A peculiar shade of red, like that of a cherry.

Barbadoes cherry. See under Barbadoes. — Cherry bird (Zoöl.), an American bird; the cedar bird; — so called from its fondness for cherries. — Cherry bounce, cherry brandy and sugar. — Cherry brandy, brandy in which cherries have been steeped. — Cherry laurel (Bot.), an evergreen shrub (Prunus Lauro-cerasus) common in shrubberies, the poisonous leaves of which have a flavor like that of bitter almonds. — Cherry pepper (Bot.), a species of Capsicum (C. cerasiforme), with small, scarlet, intensely piquant cherry-shaped fruit. — Cherry pit. (a) A child's play, in which cherries are thrown into a hole. Shak. (b) A cherry stone. — Cherry rum, rum in which cherries have been steeped. — Cherry sucker (Zoöl.), the European spotted flycatcher (Musicapa grisola); — called also cherry chopper cherry snipe. — Cherry tree, a tree that bears cherries. — Ground cherry, Winter cherry, See Alkekengi.

Cher′ry (chĕr′ry̆), a. Like a red cherry in color; ruddy; blooming; as, a cherry lip; cherry cheeks.