Think about it: how did the word for the much-loved tasty berry, the strawberry, comeabout? The 'berry' part certainly makes sense, but what about the 'straw' part? They're certainly not straw. Confusing.
Before I divulge further on the topic at hand, I'd like to mention that strawberries aren't actually berries as initially stated, but rather they are 'fleshy receptable' for the seeds, which are the fruit of the strawberry. You learn something new everyday!
There are a number of theries as to why the strawberry is named so:
- Strawberries were sometimes grown by mulching the strawberry plants with straw.
- In the past, various European localities sold strawberries that had been strung together on a piece of straw.
- The strawberry plant's stolons appear to be strewn over the ground, somewhat reminiscent of straw.
- The color of the seeds inside the strawberry could be considered straw color.
- Strawberries for Strawberry Lovers proposes that wild strawberry seeds may have been consumed and excreted by farm animals along with straw, which would have synergistically produced a great environment for the strawberry plant to sprout.
There's no single definitive answer here, but some sound more likely than others.