elderberry

3 definitions found

elderberry - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  elderberry \el"der*ber`ry\, n. (Bot.)
     1. The berrylike drupe of the elder. That of the Old World
        elder (Sambucus nigra) and that of the American sweet
        elder (S. Canadensis) are sweetish acid, and are eaten
        as a berry or made into wines or jellies.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl. + WordNet 1.5]
  
     2. the European variety of elder (see 3rd elder), a common
        black-fruited shrub or small tree of Europe and Asia; the
        fruit is used for wines and jellies.
  
     Syn: bourtree, black elder, common elder, European elder,
          Sambucus nigra.
          [WordNet 1.5]

  Elder \El"der\, n. [OE. ellern, eller, AS. ellen, cf. LG.
     elloorn; perh. akin to OHG. holantar, holuntar, G. holunder;
     or perh. to E. alder, n.] (Bot.)
     A genus of shrubs (Sambucus) having broad umbels of white
     flowers, and small black or red berries.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The common North American species is Sambucus Canadensis
           ; the common European species (S. nigra)
           forms a small tree. The red-berried elder is S. pubens
           . The berries are diaphoretic and aperient. The
           European elder (Sambucus nigra) is also called the
           elderberry, bourtree, Old World elder, black elder
           , and common elder.
           [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
  
     Box elder. See under 1st Box.
  
     Dwarf elder. See Danewort.
  
     Elder tree. (Bot.) Same as Elder. --Shak.
  
     Marsh elder, the cranberry tree Viburnum Opulus).
        [1913 Webster]

elderberry - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  elderberry
      n 1: a common shrub with black fruit or a small tree of Europe
           and Asia; fruit used for wines and jellies [syn:
           bourtree, black elder, common elder, elderberry,
           European elder, Sambucus nigra]
      2: berrylike fruit of an elder used for e.g. wines and jellies