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bil·ber·ry

(bĭlbĕr′ē)

a. A low-growing deciduous shrub (Vaccinium myrtillus) of the heath family native to Eurasia and western North America, having edible bluish-black berries borne singly or in pairs, used for making jams, jellies, and juice and for medicinal purposes.

b. Any of several similar plants of the genus Vaccinium.

2. The fruit of any of these plants.

[bil-, probably of Scandinavian origin; see bhel-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + BERRY.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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