checkerberry

[ chek-er-ber-ee ]

noun

, plural check·er·ber·ries.

1. the red fruit of the American wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens.
2. the plant itself.
3. any of several other plants bearing similar fruit, or the fruit itself.

checkerberry

/ -brɪ; ˈtʃɛkəbərɪ /

noun

1. the fruit of any of various plants, esp the wintergreen ( Gaultheria procumbens )
2. any plant bearing this fruit

Word History and Origins

Origin of checkerberry¹

An Americanism dating back to 1770–80; perhaps so named from its appearance

Example Sentences

There's a powerful lot of them in the woods, like sassafras root and checkerberry and things like that.

From Project Gutenberg

Both boys breathed deep of the piney fragrance and filled their mouths with pungent "checkerberry" leaves.

From Project Gutenberg

He was very hungry but found a spring of 50 sweet water and some checkerberry leaves, and, thus refreshed, continued his flight.

From Project Gutenberg

We taste still the sting of checkerberry and woodsy flavor of the fragrant birch.

From Project Gutenberg

If he saw anywhere a particularly red checkerberry, he went that way; otherwise it was all one to him where he went.

From Project Gutenberg