Word
cranberry
Phoneticscran·ber·ry, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɹænˌbɛɹi/
UK/kɹˈænbəɹi/
Definitions
01the fruit
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Cooking
n. a small, sour red berry that grows on a bush and is often used to make sauce or juice.
n. the small, tart, red edible berry of various shrubs in the genus Vaccinium, typically harvested in wetlands.
“We always serve cranberry sauce with the turkey at Christmas dinner.”
“The sharp acidity of the cranberry compote provided a necessary contrast to the richness of the roasted game meat.”
02the colour
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a dark, bright red colour like the skin of the berry.
n. a deep, saturated red hue resembling the skin of a ripe cranberry.
“She wore a beautiful cranberry dress to the winter wedding.”
“The interior designer suggested painting the accent wall in cranberry to add warmth to the otherwise neutral living room.”
03colour description
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. having a dark red colour.
adj. possessing the specific deep red colour characteristic of the cranberry fruit.
“The room was decorated with cranberry curtains and gold lamps.”
“The leather upholstery was finished in a cranberry shade that complemented the dark mahogany wood of the library shelves.”
Synonyms
Etymology
Adapted in the 1640s from Dutch Low Saxon or German Low German Kraanbeere, from Kraan m (which means and is cognate to crane) + Beere f (which means and is cognate to berry). Equivalent to cran- + berry. Via PIE cognate with Polish żurawina, Russian журави́ка (žuravíka) (akin to жура́вль (žurávlʹ, “crane”)); Latvian dzērvene < dzērve (“crane”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/cranberry