root beer

American  

noun

1. a carbonated beverage flavored with syrup made from the extracted juices of roots, barks, and herbs that have been fermented with sugar and yeast.

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root beer British  

noun

1. an effervescent drink made from extracts of various roots and herbs

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Etymology

Origin of root beer

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Compare meaning

How does root-beer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• birch beer vs. root beer

Example Sentences

Twig's also makes its own-name range of fruit sodas, from root beer to black cherry, and orange to lime.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026

Inside, customers sipped root beer flats and ate cheeseburgers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 25, 2025

“Back then he drank root beer floats,” Schallock said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2024

Usually he’d need a couple, sometimes Sprite, sometimes root beer.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 26, 2023

Henry has got some of Esme’s island music playing and uses his root beer bottle as a microphone to sing to us while he cooks.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt