sloe

[ sloh ]

noun

1. the small, sour, blackish fruit of the blackthorn, Prunus spinosa, of the rose family.
2. the shrub itself.
3. any of various other plants of the genus Prunus, as a shrub or small tree, P. alleghaniensis, bearing dark-purple fruit.

sloe

/ sləʊ /

noun

1. the small sour blue-black fruit of the blackthorn
2. another name for blackthorn

Word History and Origins

Origin of sloe¹

before 900; Middle English slo, Old English slā ( h ); cognate with German Schlehe, Dutch slee

Word History and Origins

Origin of sloe¹

Old English slāh; related to Old High German slēha, Middle Dutch sleuuwe

Example Sentences

This applies to lots of fruits that are the same colour including damsons, sloes and juniper berries.

From Science Daily

There’s been a resurgence recently in the popularity of sloe gin, according to Siobhan Robinson, owner of the East London craft distillery Mother’s Ruin.

From Washington Times

It’s a wonderfully economic performance, all slouch and sloe eyes, offering a moral thermometer of the fallen world through which Raylan moves via Olyphant’s sly repertoire of expressions: grin, smirk, smile, hard stare, blank bemusement.

From New York Times

However, he said there had also been "massive highs", such as drinking sloe gin together on New Year's Eve and "all the sunrises and sunsets".

From BBC

Sloe, a plumlike fruit used to make gin Candy is dandy And liquor is quicker, But is that still so If the liquor is sloe?

From Washington Post

Related Words

• sunless
• unlighted
• unlit