Standard Lemma guide

huckleberry

noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /ˈhʌkl̩ˌbɛɹi/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈhʌkl̩b(ə)ɹi/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: HH AH1 K AH0 L B EH2 R IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small round fruit of a dark blue or red color, of several plants in the related genera Vaccinium and Gaylussacia.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A shrub growing this fruit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A small amount, a short distance, as in the phrase huckleberry above a persimmon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A person of little consequence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

Examples

  • 1999, Paul Lieberstein, "De-Kahnstructing Henry" (King of the Hill TV episode} You got such a bug in your bonnet about phones? Check this out. I call France on this phone whenever I want. France, Europe, huckleberry.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

The person one is looking for; the right person for the job.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, slang

Examples

  • I'm your huckleberry.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To pick huckleberries.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

blue-black berry similar to blueberries and bilberries of the eastern United States

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: berry

8

noun

Meaning 8

any of several shrubs of the genus Gaylussacia bearing small berries resembling blueberries

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shrub, bush

Narrower terms: black huckleberry, Gaylussacia baccata, dangleberry, dangle-berry, Gaylussacia frondosa, box huckleberry, Gaylussacia brachycera

9

noun

Meaning 9

any of various dark-fruited as distinguished from blue-fruited blueberries

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: blueberry, blueberry bush

History

Etymology

Probably an alteration of Middle English hurtilbery (“whortleberry”). American English from 1660s.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Blackfoot: aapaawapsspi — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Catalan: nadó — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Catalan: mirtil americà — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Chinook Jargon: shat ulali — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Finnish: valemustikka — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Finnish: puolukka — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Finnish: pensasmustikka — fruit — see also buckberry
  • French: myrtille américaine — fruit — see also buckberry
  • German: Heidelbeere — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Italian: mirtillo americano — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Latin: myrtillus americanus — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Māori: huapēre — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Portuguese: mirtilo americano — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Spanish: arándano americano — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Unami: min — fruit — see also buckberry
  • Cherokee: ᎫᏩᏯ (guwaya) — shrub — see also buckberry
  • Finnish: valemustikka — shrub — see also buckberry
  • Finnish: puolukka — shrub — see also buckberry
  • Finnish: pensasmustikka — shrub — see also buckberry
  • Finnish: hiven — small amount