noun
bilberry
BIL-buh-ree
Bilberry (noun) means a small wild shrub of Europe, or its dark blue berry, which is a relative of the blueberry. Example: “We picked bilberries on the moor and made a pie.”
noun
1
A small wild shrub of Europe, or its dark blue berry, which is a relative of the blueberry.
"We picked bilberries on the moor and made a pie."
"Bilberry grows low to the ground on heathland."
"The jam was made from wild bilberries."
How to use bilberry
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small dark wild berry, a European cousin of the blueberry.
When to use it
It is a neutral everyday word, common in British English.
Memory tip
Bilberries are the wild European kind, so do not use the word for the large cultivated blueberries.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
wild bilberries
bilberry jam
bilberry pie
bilberry bush
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ grows low to the ground on heathland.
Etymology
Bilberry is probably of North Germanic origin, related to the Danish bøllebær. The first part is linked to Old Norse bolli, and the second part is the word berry.
Synonyms
View more →
blaeberry
whortleberry
whimberry
whinberry
Rhymes for bilberry
See all rhymes for bilberry →Frequently asked questions
What is a bilberry?
It is the wild European blueberry, Vaccinium myrtillus, and also the name of the shrub it grows on.
What is another name for bilberry?
It is also called blaeberry, whortleberry or whimberry.
Is a bilberry the same as a blueberry?
They are related, but the bilberry is the wild European species, not the cultivated blueberry.
What is the meaning of bilberry?
"bilberry" (noun) means a small wild shrub of Europe, or its dark blue berry, which is a relative of the blueberry.
