Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of certain mat-forming shrubs of the genus Arctostaphylos in the heath family, especially A. uva-ursi, native to North America and Eurasia, having small leathery leaves, white or pinkish urn-shaped flowers, and red berrylike fruits.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A trailing evergreen ericaceous shrub, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, found throughout the arctic and mountainous portions of the northern hemisphere, and bearing small bright-red drupes.
  • noun In the Pacific States, a species of Rhamnus, R. Purshiana, named from the fondness of bears for its berries. Also called bearwood.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Bot.) A trailing plant of the heath family (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), having leaves which are tonic and astringent, and glossy red berries of which bears are said to be fond.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Any of three dwarf shrubs of the genus Arcostaphylus, which grow in arctic regions and bear edible berries.
  • noun Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, the common bearberry.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun deciduous shrub of southeastern and central United States
  • noun chiefly evergreen subshrubs of northern to Arctic areas
  • noun shrubby tree of the Pacific coast of the United States; yields cascara sagrada

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From bear + berry.

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Examples

  • Also known as bearberry, uva ursi’s use as a folk remedy for urinary-tract infections has been validated by modern research, which shows that this herb is an effective treatment for bladder and kidney ailments.

    Earl Mindell’s New Herb Bible Earl Mindell 2008

  • Also known as bearberry, uva ursi’s use as a folk remedy for urinary-tract infections has been validated by modern research, which shows that this herb is an effective treatment for bladder and kidney ailments.

    Earl Mindell’s New Herb Bible Earl Mindell 2008

  • Also known as bearberry, uva ursi’s use as a folk remedy for urinary-tract infections has been validated by modern research, which shows that this herb is an effective treatment for bladder and kidney ailments.

    Earl Mindell’s New Herb Bible Earl Mindell 2008

  • Also known as bearberry, uva ursi’s use as a folk remedy for urinary-tract infections has been validated by modern research, which shows that this herb is an effective treatment for bladder and kidney ailments.

    Earl Mindell’s New Herb Bible Earl Mindell 2008

  • Black spruce and dwarf larch Larix larieina scrub colonises exposed moraines, giving way to an ericaceous shrub formation in the more exposed and unstable areas with alpine bearberry Anctostaphylos alpina, alpine azalea Loiseleuria procumbens and diapensia.

    Gros Morne National Park, Canada 2008

  • I scream her name—Opal Opal—run past beach heather and bearberry—Opal Opal Opal—and suddenly remember Napeague Harbor beyond the tallest dune.

    The Worst Thing I've Done Ursula Hegi 2007

  • However, cystitis can be caused by vigorous sex but you can pack herbal help with Uvacin tablets which contain a soothing combination of peppermint, natural antiseptic bearberry and mildly diuretic dandelion.

    Healthy Holiday Tips to Ensure a Healthy Holiday Thatsnews 2007

  • Typical ground cover includes lichens, mosses, bracken fern and members of the heath family (bearberry and teaberry).

    Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, New Jersey 2007

  • Understory species include bearberry, mosses, and sedges.

    Northwest Territories taiga 2007

  • I take three steps on firm ground and then stumble into a gaping pit camouflaged with bearberry and alpine azalea.

    Field and Stream Adventure: The Search for the Best Brook Trout Spot on Earth 2004

Comments

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  • I just want to give a big hug to everyone else who loves this word.

    May 4, 2009

  • How about a Wordie group hug?

    (Bilby, keep your ears to yourself!)

    May 4, 2009

  • I loved uva-ursi instead just so that blushing violet / flushing varlet / knishing strumpet frogapplause didn't get the wrong impression.

    August 6, 2016