Blackcurrant and blackberry are types of berries that many love. However, very few people can tell their differences. Learning about blackcurrant vs blackberry will explain these words further and their meanings.
Blackcurrant is a round edible blackberry that grows in loose hanging clusters. It is a shrub grown in temperate surroundings and is loved for its edible berries. On the other hand, blackberry is a large, sweet, and black or dark purple edible aggregate fruit of various bramble species.
If you are a berries fan, you know there are over a dozen types, and telling them apart is difficult. That explains why it is hard to tell their difference when the words blackberry and blackcurrant come up. Read more about these words and their multiple definitions and applications in this post.
Definitions Of Blackcurrant And Blackberry
People often use the words blackcurrant and blackberry interchangeably. This is understandable because they both refer to types of berries. However, if you get into their definitions, you will notice that they are related but not the same. So, using them interchangeably is incorrect. Here are the definitions of blackcurrant and blackberry:
What Is The Definition Of Blackcurrant?
Alternatively spelled as black currant, blackcurrant is “a small round edible berry that grows in loose hanging clusters and is usually black or deeply dark purple when it ripens.” Here is an example sentence, “Tyson bought fresh blackcurrant berries at the market.”
You can also refer to blackcurrant as a plant. It is a grown plant that under the right conditions gives the blackcurrant berries.” In a sentence, “Most farms in Northern Asia have quality blackcurrant shrubs.”
A scientific source defines blackcurrant as a deciduous shrub in the Grossulariaceae family cultivated for its edible berries and famously grown in Northern Asia and Northern/Central Europe temperate regions. An example sentence is, “The blackcurrant farmers protested the legalization of imported berries.”
The informal definition of blackcurrant is “any drink with the blackcurrant fruit flavor or color.” For example, “John’s favorite drink is the blackcurrant soda.”
What Is The Definition Of Blackberry?
Blackberry is a sweet, edible, black, or dark purple berry that is usually not separate from its receptacle. An example of this term in a sentence is, “We ate blackberries at my grandmother’s ranch.”
A more comprehensive definition of blackberry is an edible fruit from various species in the Robus genus of the Rosaceae family. An example sentence is, “The blackberries we bought yesterday are the sweetest.”
A different source defines blackberry as a large sweet black or dark purple aggregate fruit born from various bushes of the Robus genus. In a sentence, “The blackberry is one of the most popular berries.”
How To Properly Use Blackcurrant And Blackberry In A Sentence
Now that you know the definitions of these words, we can get into their usage in sentences. Here are a few thoughts to know about these words:
How To Use The Word Blackcurrant
You should first know that you can write this word as a compound noun (blackcurrant) or separate it as (black currant). For example, “The blackcurrant is sweeter than the strawberry” or “The black currant is sweeter than the strawberry.” (Both sentences are correct)
Something else you should know is that you can use this word as a noun for:
- A small round edible black or dark purple berries
- The shrub that produces small, round, red, and black berries
- A drink made out of the blackcurrant fruit or featuring its color
You can also use this word’s plural form (blackcurrants). For example, “The blackcurrants taste incredible.” This applies where you want to showcase large quantities of these berries.
How To Use The Word Blackberry
Firstly, you should never separate this word when referring to “a soft, black fruit borne by the Robus genus shrub and some of its hybrids.” When you separate it and write it as “black berry,” it changes its meaning. Black berry may refer to any type of berry with a black color, including the blackcurrant. So, we can conclude that it is a general word.
Use this word as a noun for the following:
- A fruit-bearing shrub in the Robus species
- The fruit produced by the shrub described above
The plural form of the word is (blackberries). For example, “The blackberries were unripe when Jane bought them.” That means Jane bought several blackberries.
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Blackcurrant Vs Blackberry: More Differences
People use these words interchangeably because of their related meanings, not their spellings or other grammatical elements. Blackcurrant and blackberry are types of berries with similar characteristics. However, their definitions do not expound on their differences. So, let us look at some differentiating features of blackberry and blackcurrant.
Taste And Texture
Both fruits have a sweet flavor and tartness. That explains why most people cannot tell them apart. However, blackcurrants are more tart than blackberries. So, their difference lies more in their texture than their taste.
Appearance And Size
Another confusing element about these fruits is that they both have a similar appearance, especially their color. Both fruits are dark red, purple, or black when ripe. However, their difference lies in their size. The blackcurrant is usually small and round. On the other hand, the blackberry is typically larger and more elongated. Again, the blackcurrant’s skin is thinner and easier to remove than the blackberry’s.
Their Internal Appearance
Blackberries are softer when ripe. Therefore, they become too mushy when you cook them, making them great for jams and jellies. On the other hand, blackcurrants have many seeds you can choose to remove when eating.
Nutritional Value
Both fruits are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants. However, blackcurrants have more Vitamin C and antioxidant content than blackberries. Blackcurrants also have more fiber than blackberries because they have seeds in them.
Besides their differences as berries, you can also look at their differences as general English words. There isn’t a lot of published content about these words. However, we can look at the pronunciation differences. While both words have three syllables, their pronunciations differ significantly. The pronunciations for blackberry and blackcurrant are “/blak-ber-ee/” and “/blak-Kuhr-uhnt/,” respectively.
List Of Examples Of Blackcurrant And Blackberry Use In Sentences
Whenever you learn new English words or research words that confuse you, it would be wise to look at example sentences featuring these words. The sentence examples will help you understand how to use these words in sentences. They will also put their meanings into context. Here are some examples of sentences with the words blackcurrant and blackberry:
Example sentences with the word blackcurrant
- Jane visited the bathroom severally after consuming an entire jug of blackcurrant juice.
- My mother always packs blackcurrant fruits in our lunch every morning.
- Jane is allergic to blackcurrants.
- Aunty Carry used the fruit in her garden to make the famous blackcurrant jam.
- The doctor warned Angel against overeating blackcurrant because of its high acid content.
Example sentences of the word blackberry
- Cindy prepared a fresh blackberry pie on her birthday.
- The stray tractor drove through the garden and destroyed all the blackberry bushes.
- Blackberry is Bianca’s favorite fruit.
- The doctor explained why the blackberry tastes better than the strawberry in his new book.
- The blackberry contains a lot of vitamin C and antioxidants.
Conclusion
Blackcurrant and blackberry are types of delicious berries with many similarities. They are both sweet and have a dark red, black, or dark purple appearance when they ripen. However, they belong to different plant species and families and have slightly different textures and nutritional values.
Besides their definitions, these words have different pronunciations and spellings. Most people use them interchangeably because of their related meanings, but that shouldn’t be the case. Feel free to share your thoughts on this article.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.