Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Cherry \Cher"ry\, n. [OE. chery, for cherys, fr. F. cerise (cf.
   AS. cyrs cherry), fr. LL. ceresia, fr. L. cerasus Cherry
   tree, Gr. ?, perh. fr. ? horn, from the hardness of the
   wood.]
   1. (Bot.) A tree or shrub of the genus {Prunus} (Which also
      includes the plum) bearing a fleshy drupe with a bony
      stone;
      (a) The common garden cherry ({Prunus Cerasus}), of which
          several hundred varieties are cultivated for the
          fruit, some of which are, the begarreau, blackheart,
          black Tartarian, oxheart, morelle or morello, May-duke
          (corrupted from M['e]doc in France).
      (b) The wild cherry; as, {Prunus serotina} (wild black
          cherry), valued for its timber; {P. Virginiana} (choke
          cherry), an American shrub which bears astringent
          fruit; {P. avium} and {P. Padus}, European trees (bird
          cherry).

   2. The fruit of the cherry tree, a drupe of various colors
      and flavors.

   3. The timber of the cherry tree, esp. of the black cherry,
      used in cabinetmaking, etc.

   4. A peculiar shade of red, like that of a cherry.

   {Barbadoes cherry}. See under {Barbadoes}.

   {Cherry bird} (Zo["o]l.), an American bird; the cedar bird;
      -- so called from its fondness for cherries.

   {Cherry bounce}, cherry brandy and sugar.

   {Cherry brandy}, brandy in which cherries have been steeped.
      

   {Cherry laurel} (Bot.), an evergreen shrub ({Prunus
      Lauro-cerasus}) common in shrubberies, the poisonous
      leaves of which have a flavor like that of bitter almonds.
      

   {Cherry pepper} (Bot.), a species of {Capsicum} ({C.
      cerasiforme}), with small, scarlet, intensely piquant
      cherry-shaped fruit.

   {Cherry pit}.
      (a) A child's play, in which cherries are thrown into a
          hole. --Shak.
      (b) A cherry stone.

   {Cherry rum}, rum in which cherries have been steeped.

   {Cherry sucker} (Zo["o]l.), the European spotted flycatcher
      ({Musicapa grisola}); -- called also {cherry chopper}
      {cherry snipe}.

   {Cherry tree}, a tree that bears cherries.

   {Ground cherry}, {Winter cherry}, See {Alkekengi}.