gooseberry

/ˈɡusˌbɛɹi/

//ˈɡusˌbɛɹi// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"gooseberry" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“gooseberry” is an uncommon English word, ranked #51,143 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#51,143
frequency rank, English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A fruit of species Ribes uva-crispa, related to the currant.

Key facts for gooseberry
PropertyValue
Headwordgooseberry
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɡusˌbɛɹi/
Letters10
Frequency rank#51,143
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “gooseberry” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). gooseberry lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for gooseberry is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɡusˌbɛɹi/. Corpus data places it at rank #51,143 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 18 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for gooseberry, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From goose + berry. It is possible that the first element was originally something related to the gros- of French groseille and/or the kruis- of Dutch kruisbes but has been altered by folk etymology. The correct English form is gooseberry, spelled G-O-O-S-E-B-E-R-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A fruit of species Ribes uva-crispa, related to the currant.
  2. 2
    Any other plant or fruit in the subgenus Grossularia, distinguished from currants by bearing spines, including Ribes hirtellum (American gooseberry).
  3. 3
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  4. 4
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  5. 5
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  6. 6
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  7. 7
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  8. 8
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  9. 9
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  10. 10
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  11. 11
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  12. 12
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  13. 13
    Any of several other plants that are not closely related but bear fruit in some way similar:
  14. 14
    A chaperone.
  15. 15
    An additional person who is neither necessary nor wanted in a given situation.
  16. 16
    A fool.
  17. 17
    A fantastic story; a tall tale; a hoax.
  18. 18
    A testicle.

Etymology

From goose + berry. It is possible that the first element was originally something related to the gros- of French groseille and/or the kruis- of Dutch kruisbes but has been altered by folk etymology.

This word in other languages

carabina(Español)groseille à maquereau(Français)Stachelbeere(Deutsch)groselha(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "gooseberry"?
"gooseberry" is spelled G-O-O-S-E-B-E-R-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɡusˌbɛɹi/.
What does "gooseberry" mean?
As a noun, "gooseberry" means: A fruit of species Ribes uva-crispa, related to the currant.
How do you pronounce "gooseberry"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "gooseberry" is /ˈɡusˌbɛɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "gooseberry"?
From goose + berry. It is possible that the first element was originally something related to the gros- of French groseille and/or the kruis- of Dutch kruisbes but has been altered by folk etymology. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “gooseberry”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is G-O-O-S-E-B-E-R-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɡusˌbɛɹi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list