Etymology Map
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Cherry

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a small round red or black stone fruit

Where does the word "cherry" come from? It comes from Greek kerasos, passing through Old North French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
kerasos
Greek · ancient
"cherry tree"
the cherry tree, traditionally linked with Kerasous (modern Giresun) on the Black Sea
2
Stage 2 of 3
cerise
Old North French · medieval
"cherry"
Norman French kept the hard 'k' sound that Parisian French softened
3
Stage 3 of 3
cherry
English · 1300s
"cherry"
the final 's' was mistaken for a plural and dropped, leaving 'cherry'
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Read the full story

Cherry’s story begins in Greek: kerasos meant “cherry tree.” The cherry tree, traditionally linked with Kerasous (modern Giresun) on the Black Sea. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old North French as cerise. Norman French kept the hard 'k' sound that Parisian French softened. It reached English by 1300s as cherry. The final 's' was mistaken for a plural and dropped, leaving 'cherry'. Today, cherry means a small round red or black stone fruit.