winterberryn.
/ˈwɪntəˌbɛri/, U.S. /ˈwɪn(t)ərˌbɛri/ΚΠ
1608 E. Topsell Hist. Serpents 60 Pliny, Cardan, and Constantine affirme, that the Hearbe Arum, and the roote of Winterberry, do so astonish Aspes, that their presence layeth them in a deadly sleepe.
1647 H. Hexham Copious Eng. & Netherduytch Dict. sig. Hh4v/2 The hearbe called Winterbury, Kriecken over Zee.
2. Chiefly North American. Any of various American hollies (genus Ilex); esp. the deciduous species I. verticillata of eastern North America. Also: a fruit of any of these hollies.These species were included in the former genus Prinos.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > berry-bush or -tree > [noun] > holly bush > types of
French oak1597
free holly1610
gallberry1709
gall-bush1728
milkmaid1731
winterberry1752
mountain holly1805
mountain holly1818
toyon1847
Minorca holly1853
mountain holly1901
inkberry weed-
1752 P. Miller Gardeners Dict. (ed. 6) Prinos, winter-berry.
1770 J. R. Forster tr. P. Kalm Trav. N. Amer. I. 67 Prinos verticillatus, the winterberry tree in swamps.
1889 Hardwicke's Sci.-gossip 25 171 A vigorous growth of winter-berry, laden with its crimson fruit.
1908 N. L. Britton N. Amer. Trees 622 Winterberry—Ilex lævigata..is also called the Smooth winterberry and Hoopwood.
1914 Amer. Florist 12 Dec. 1066/2 Wreaths made of leucothoe sprays, with sprigs of holly berries or winter berries worked through them, are very choice.
1982 D. Dickinson in J. Metcalf Third Impressions 103 A prairie oasis gradually withered with the dust that choked his junipers, scotch pines and winterberry shrubs.
2013 Brattleboro (Vermont) Reformer (Nexis) 13 Dec. Of the berries, the brightest and best looking is winterberry (Ilex verticillata), our native deciduous holly.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2017; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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