Gōose'ber-ry, n.

n. [Corrupted for gossberry, or gorseberry, a name taken from the roughness of the shrub, for goss, or gorse, has prickles like the goose-berry-tree. Cf. Ger. stachelbeere, from stachel, prickle, rauchbeere, from rauch, rough, krausbeere, kräuselbeere, from kraus, crisp, Sw. krusbär, from krus, krusig, crisp, D. kruisbes, kruisbezie, as if crossberry, from kruis, cross, corrupted for kroesbes, kroesbezie, from kroes, crisp, It. uva crespa, i. e., crisp grape, Fr. groseille, Sp. grosella, Prov. Fr. gruselle, gruzale, not from Lat. grossus, thick, but from M. H. Ger. & L. Ger. krūs, D. kroes, N. H. Ger. kraus, crisp, crisped.]

1. (Bot.) The fruit of a certain thorny shrub, and the shrub itself, the Ribes grossularia. It is supposed to be a native of Europe, but is found in all temperate regions of the world. Of the fruit there are several varieties.
2. A silly person; a goose-cap. Goldsmith.