sambuca

¹ American  

[sam-byoo-kuh] / sæmˈbyu kə /

noun

1. Also sambuke an ancient stringed musical instrument used in Greece and the Middle East.

2. a medieval hurdy-gurdy.

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sambuca ² American  

[sam-boo-kuh, sahm-boo-kah] / sæmˈbu kə, sɑmˈbu kɑ /

noun

1. a licorice-flavored Italian liqueur made from elderberries.

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Etymology

Origin of sambuca¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English sambuke, from Latin sambūca, from Greek sambȳ́kē, perhaps from Semitic; compare Aramaic sabbəkhā

Origin of sambuca²

First recorded in 1970–75; from Italian, feminine derivative of sambuco “elder (tree),” from Latin sa(m)būcus

Example Sentences

Renowned grappa producer Poli Distillerie stopped making its smooth, elegant sambuca, which tastes like fresh fennel, in the 1980s, but recently brought it back due to the surge in demand.

From Salon

You can see evidence today of the popularity of anise spirits in Lebanese arak, Turkish raki, Greek ouzo, Italian sambuca and, of course, the French pastis.

From New York Times

State of Grace, by Miranda Sawyer After a bottle of wine and several shots of sambuca, Sawyer, who delivers a typically brilliant profile, gets much more than she bargained for from Jones.

From The Guardian

The alcohol is usually sambuca or grappa, but I’ve found that many amari go nicely with coffee, either added directly to coffee or served alongside an espresso.

From Washington Post

"So that particular bottle of sambuca retailed at £30, but she had to pay £90 for it."

From BBC