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.

---

root beer British  

noun

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

---

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

“And maybe if he’s really lucky, we’ll have a root beer float waiting for you in the room,” she told Noorlander.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 13, 2023

For the front awning, he used sassafras, a semi-soft wood that darkens with age, smells like root beer when you cut it, and reminds him of the sassafras tea he drank as a kid.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2023

Nico poured root beer and tossed barbecue into the pit, then began chanting in Ancient Greek.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan