cranberry
UK[ˈkrænbəri]US[ˈkrænberi]
n
a small, soft, red berry with a sour taste, often used in cooking and sauces.
n
the low-growing evergreen shrub on which this berry grows, typically found in bogs.
Morpheme Breakdown
cran
berry
cran
berry name
berry
fruit
Etymology
the word "cranberry" is a partial loan translation from german "kranbeere" or low german "kraanbere," literally meaning "crane berry." the first element, "cran," is an alteration of "crane," as the plant's slender, curved flower stalks were thought to resemble the neck and head of a crane. the second element, "berry," is a common germanic word for a small fruit. thus, the name originally described the berry associated with the crane, which later became lexicalized as a fixed name for this specific fruit, with "cran-" losing its transparent avian meaning for most speakers.
Analysis
Structure: cran (berry name) + berry (fruit)
cran (origin: germanic/low german; role: specific berry name element). berry (origin: old english; role: noun, meaning a small, pulpy fruit).
Examples
she made a delicious sauce from fresh cranberries.
cranberry juice is often recommended for its potential health benefits.
the bog was filled with ripe, red cranberries ready for harvest.