Berries, in cooking, are small, juicy fruits with a soft skin and no pit, eaten out of hand or used for their size and cluster-forming habit. The word comes from Old English "berie," and berries have been part of the human diet since prehistoric times.
Not every fruit called a berry in the kitchen is a "true berry" botanically -- that term is reserved for fruits that develop from a single ovary of a single flower, such as blueberries, cranberries, and grapes. Strawberries and raspberries, both kitchen staples, are technically aggregate fruits, not true berries; the culinary and botanical definitions simply diverge.
Berries turn up in both sweet and savory cooking -- pies, tarts, cobblers, ice creams, jams, and preserves, as well as salads, sauces, and marinades. Common kitchen berries include strawberries (sweet, juicy, slightly tart), blueberries (sweet and mildly tangy), raspberries (delicate, sweet-tart), blackberries (bold, sweet-tart), and cranberries (sharply tart); all can be used fresh, frozen, or processed into juices, syrups, and purées.