What does wolfberry mean?
Wolfberry is an English name used for several thorny shrubs in the genus Lycium and, more commonly in food and wellness contexts, for their berry-like fruit. The best-known edible example is the fruit of Lycium barbarum, which is also called goji or goji berry and is sold fresh, dried, powdered, or as juice and supplements. The berries have a mildly sweet-tart flavor and are valued in traditional Chinese food and herbal practice as well as in modern cuisine. The word can also denote the shrub itself, particularly in botanical and regional descriptions. Although its name may suggest toxicity, this association reflects an old belief that the berries could harm or kill wolves rather than describing the familiar goji sold as food. In contemporary English, wolfberry is especially associated with dried fruit, juices, and dietary products, while goji is generally the more familiar commercial label.
nounAny of several thorny shrubs in the genus Lycium, or the berry-like fruit of such a shrub, especially Lycium barbarum. The fruit of L. barbarum is also widely known as goji.
- The berry-like fruit of a plant in the genus Lycium, especially the edible fruit of Lycium barbarum.
- Any of several thorny shrubs belonging to the genus Lycium.
"She added dried wolfberry to the oatmeal for its sweet, mildly tart flavor."
"The recipe calls for wolfberries, sesame seeds, and a little honey."
"Wolfberry grows widely in dry, sunny regions of western North America."
Use wolfberries for multiple plants or individual berries.
"The dried wolfberries were stored in a glass jar."
Its ominous name comes from an old belief that the berries could poison wolves, yet the familiar commercial wolfberry is the edible berry sold as goji.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of wolfberry
Wolfberry is a compound of the English words wolf and berry, formed during the 19th century. Its name arose from the folk belief that the plant's berries were poisonous to wolves. Unlike goji, which came into English through the Chinese name for the fruit of Lycium barbarum, wolfberry is a transparent English compound.
Related word forms
How wolfberry is actually used
The term can refer either to the plant or to its fruit, so context determines the intended sense. In commercial food usage, wolfberry is often effectively synonymous with goji berry, the fruit of Lycium barbarum.
Easily confused with wolfberry
Wolfberry is a common name for plants or fruit in the genus Lycium, whereas wolf's-bane refers to highly poisonous plants in the genus Aconitum.