Hagberries

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of fruit from certain shrubs or trees, often associated with a wild or untamed character
2. A small berry that may be used in traditional medicine or folklore
3. A fruit known for its historical significance and use in regional culinary practices

Etymology: "Hagberries" is the plural of "hagberry," a name for the fruit of the bird cherry (Prunus padus). The first element, "hag," is an old word for a witch or a malicious old woman, and the second is simply "berry." The name is a compound of ordinary English parts, so its meaning is transparent once you know the tree's folklore. That folklore is the real story. In the north-east of Scotland, the tree was regarded as the witch's tree: its wood was not used for staffs or for any other purpose, because people thought it belonged to witches. The berries were named after the same association, so a common English word for an old woman ended up attached to a small dark fruit that cooks and households in that region treated with caution.