Giresun (gēresOOn') [key], city (1990 pop. 67,536), capital of Giresun prov., NE Turkey, a port on the Black Sea. It is the trade center for a farm region in which corn, filberts, beans, and potatoes are produced. Known as Cerasus, the city was famous in ancient times for its cherry trees. From there the Roman general Lucullus is said to have introduced (1st cent. B.C.) the cherry tree into Italy. The English word cherry is derived from the name of the city, which formerly also appeared as Kerasun.
