bearberry

[ bair-ber-ee, -buh-ree ]

noun

, plural bear·ber·ries.

1. any of several prostrate shrubs belonging to the genus Arctostaphylos, of the heath family, especially A. uva-ursi, having tonic, astringent leaves and bright-red berries.
2. cascara.
3. possum haw ( def ).
4. any of several other plants, as some species of cranberry.

bearberry

/ ˈbɛəbərɪ /

noun

1. a trailing evergreen ericaceous shrub, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi , with small pinkish-white flowers, red berries, and astringent leaves
2. alpine bearberry or black bearberry
   a related species, A. alpina of European mountains, having black berries

Word History and Origins

Origin of bearberry¹

First recorded in 1615–25; bear ² + berry

Example Sentences

Hyper Skin’s latest face mask will leave you radiant while also working to fade dark spots with niacinamide and bearberry.

From Los Angeles Times

And you can find the cactus growing in dunes next to a plant called bearberry, which is typically found in the Arctic, he says.

From Washington Post

Tribal history shows everything from tree bark to bearberry leaves were used.

From Seattle Times

The term “traditional tobacco” can refer to other indigenous plants that may not contain nicotine at all, including the dried leaves of bearberries and the bark from red and spotted willows.

From Scientific American

A ways down the road we found equally varied botany: dwarf willows, crowberry plants and alpine bearberry shrubs that would turn crimson in two months.

From Washington Post