cherry: [14] Cherry comes ultimately from Greek kerasós ‘cherry tree’, which in Latin became cerasus. This was borrowed into the Germanic languages in prehistoric times, producing, as well as German kirsche, Old English ciris ‘cherry’, which died out in the 11th century. In Vulgar Latin, meanwhile, cerasus had become ceresia, which passed into Old Northern French as cherise (source of modern French cerise). When it was borrowed into English, its -s ending was misinterpreted as indicating plurality, so a ‘new’ singular cherry was created.
cherry (n.)
c. 1300, earlier in surname Chyrimuth (1266, literally "Cherry-mouth"); from Anglo-French cherise, from Old North French cherise (Old French, Modern French cerise, 12c.), from Vulgar Latin *ceresia, from late Greek kerasian "cherry," from Greek kerasos "cherry tree," possibly from a language of Asia Minor. Mistaken in Middle English for a plural and stripped of its -s (compare pea).
Old English had ciris "cherry" from a West Germanic borrowing of the Vulgar Latin word (cognate with German Kirsch), but it died out after the Norman invasion and was replaced by the French word. Meaning "maidenhead, virginity" is from 1889, U.S. slang, from supposed resemblance to the hymen, but perhaps also from the long-time use of cherries as a symbol of the fleeting quality of life's pleasures.
例文
1. The cherry blossom came out early in Washington this year.
今年のワシントンの桜は早く咲いています。
2.It 's lovely in the spring when the cherry blossom is out.
春は桜が咲き、とても美しい。
3.Mrs. Cherry seems altogether weighed down by her work plus parenthood.徹里夫人は彼女の仕事と母親の責任に疲れているようだ。
4.The boy made a switch from the branch of a cherry tree.
この男の子はさくらんぼの木の枝で鞭を作った。
5.The cherry trees cast all their blossoms after the storm.