mulberry

noun

mul·​ber·​ry ˈməl-ˌber-ē How to pronounce mulberry (audio)
-b(ə-)rē
1
: any of a genus (Morus of the family Moraceae, the mulberry family) of trees with an edible usually purple multiple fruit that is an aggregate of juicy one-seeded drupes
also : the fruit
2
: a dark purple or purplish black

Examples of mulberry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These washable mulberry silk palazzo pants are made with a bit of stretch so the waistband feels comfortable all day. —Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2024 The region's top allergens are grasses, mulberry and walnut trees, per Pollen.com. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 20 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for mulberry 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mulberry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mulbere, mulbery, probably dissimilated from Old English *mūrberie, variant of mōrberie (with mūr- as in mūrbēam "mulberry tree"), from mūr- (borrowed from Medieval Latin mūrum, variant of Latin mōrum "black mulberry, blackberry," probably of Mediterranean substratal origin, as also Greek móron "black mulberry, blackberry," Armenian mor "blackberry") + berie berry entry 1

Note: The presumed dissimilated form represented by Middle English mulbere is paralleled by Middle Low German mūlbēre "mulberry" (next to mūrbēre), Old Saxon mūlbōm "mulberry tree" (in a gloss, next to mōrbōm), late Old High German mūlboum, mūlbere (in glosses, next to mūrberi, mōrberi, mūrboum). The assumption has been made that the Middle English word was borrowed from Middle Low German, though it seems more likely that dissimilated forms were passed northward through the West Germanic speech area—or developed independently—as the word diffused along with cultivation of the berry in the Carolingian period; cultivation of mulberries is mentioned in the late-8th-century Capitulare de villis dealing with the upkeep of Charlemagne's estates.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mulberry was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing mulberry

Dictionary Entries Near mulberry

mulay saw

mulberry

mulberry bird

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Mulberry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mulberry. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

mulberry

noun
mul·​ber·​ry ˈməl-ˌber-ē How to pronounce mulberry (audio)
1
: any of a genus of trees that have small edible usually purple fruits and leaves on which silkworms can be fed
also : the fruit of a mulberry
2
: a dark purple or purplish black

Medical Definition

mulberry

noun
mul·​ber·​ry ˈməl-ˌber-ē, -b(ə-)rē How to pronounce mulberry (audio)
plural mulberries
: any of a genus (Morus of the family Moraceae, the mulberry family) of trees with an edible usually purple fruit that includes one (M. nigra) with a fruit whose juice is sometimes used for its medicinal properties
also : the fruit

More from Merriam-Webster on mulberry

Nglish: Translation of mulberry for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of mulberry for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mulberry

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