ETYM Old Eng. chery, for cherys, from French cerise (cf. AS. cyrs cherry), from Late Lat. ceresia, from Latin cerasus Cherry tree, Greek kerasos, perh. from keras horn, from the hardness of the wood.
1. Any of numerous trees and shrubs producing a small fleshy round fruit with a single hard stone; many also produce a valuable hardwood; SYN. cherry tree.
2. Fruit with a single hard stone.
3. Wood of any of various cherry trees especially the black cherry.
Any of various trees of the genus Prunus, belonging to the rose family. Cherry trees are distinguished from plums and apricots by their fruits, which are spherical and smooth and not covered with a bloom. They are cultivated in temperate regions with warm summers and grow best in deep fertile soil.
Most cultivated cherries come from Europe. The common chokecherry P. virginiana is a widespread wild cherry tree of the US.

Village in Illinois (USA).