Partridgeberry
/ˈpɑːr.trɪdʒˌbɛr.i/noun
A low-growing North American evergreen plant that produces red berries, especially Mitchella repens.
Did you know?Partridgeberry is a folk name built from the bird name partridge plus berry, and while the plant’s name isn’t occult, it shows how English often tags plants with vivid animal imagery to make them memorable.
Etymological Timeline
Old French
OF
perdriz
“partridge”
Middle English
ME
partriche
“partridge”
Old English
OE
berie
“berry”
Middle English
ME
partrich berie
“a berry associated with partridges; later the plant name”
Modern English
EN
partridgeberry
“the common name for certain berry-bearing plants, especially Mitchella repens”