What does strawberry mean?
A strawberry is the small, usually red fruit of a low-growing herbaceous plant. It has a sweet, juicy flesh with numerous tiny seeds on the outside and is commonly eaten fresh, frozen, or preserved in jams and other products. The term can also denote the plant itself, strawberry flavor, and a bright reddish-pink color. Strawberries are widely associated with summer, dessert, and food preserves, although their season depends on climate and cultivation. The word’s unusual name preserves an old physical description: strawberry plants spread by slender runners that look like scattered pieces of straw, and the fruit grows close to the ground among them. Although strawberries are botanically distinctive rather than true berries, the name has remained standard in everyday English for centuries and is now familiar in British and American usage.
nounA sweet red fruit with a soft, juicy texture and small seeds on its surface, typically eaten fresh or used in preserves, desserts, and drinks. The word can also refer to the plant that produces this fruit and, by extension, to strawberry flavor or color.
- The edible fruit of the strawberry plant.
- The herbaceous plant that produces strawberries.
- A red or pinkish-red color resembling the fruit.
- A flavor or fragrance characteristic of the fruit.
"She served warm strawberry jam with fresh scones at breakfast."
"We picked a basket of ripe strawberries at the farm."
"The walls were painted a cheerful strawberry pink."
The plural is formed by changing the final syllable to -ies and is used for both the fruits and, when context requires, multiple strawberry plants.
"The baker filled the tart with fresh strawberries and cream."
The name joins “straw” and “berry” because the plant spreads by runners that resemble garden straw.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does strawberry come from?
The word developed in Old English as “strawberie,” combining “straw” with “berry.” Its name refers to the plant’s creeping runners, which spread like straw across the soil. The exact ordering and development of the compound varied over time, but the modern form “strawberry” became established through continued use.
How strawberry is actually used
The fruit, plant, color, and flavor uses are common in British and American English. In culinary contexts, “strawberry” may also refer to a preparation, as in strawberry shortcake.
Easily confused with strawberry
A raspberry is generally smaller and has a hollow core, whereas a strawberry has a solid, fleshy center.