Deerberry

/ˈdɪrˌbɛri/ noun

Definition

A small shrub native to southeastern North America that produces edible berries, sometimes eaten by deer.

Etymology

From 'deer' (Old English 'deor') + 'berry' (Old English 'berie'). Named for being a preferred food source for deer, though the plant is also eaten by humans.

Kelly Says

This humble shrub reveals how Native Americans named plants—they watched what animals ate and used that as a guide to edible plants safe for humans too.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.