sarsaparilla

[ sas-puh-ril-uh, sahr-suh-puh-, sahr-spuh- ]

noun
  1. any of various climbing or trailing tropical American plants belonging to the genus Smilax, of the lily family, having alternate leaves, umbels of flowers, and a root that has been used in the treatment of psoriasis.

  2. the root.

  1. an extract or other preparation made of this root.

  2. a soft drink flavored with an extract of this root, as root beer.

Origin of sarsaparilla

1
1570–80; <Spanish zarzaparrilla, equivalent to zarza bush + parrilla (parr(a) vine + -illa diminutive suffix)

Words Nearby sarsaparilla

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sarsaparilla in a sentence

  • On sandy shores the Sea Sedge (C. arenaria) is often common, and its underground stems are used for sarsaparilla.

    The Sea Shore | William S. Furneaux

British Dictionary definitions for sarsaparilla

sarsaparilla

/ (ˌsɑːsəpəˈrɪlə, ˌsɑːspə-) /


noun
  1. any of various prickly climbing plants of the tropical American genus Smilax having large aromatic roots and heart-shaped leaves: family Smilacaceae

  2. the dried roots of any of these plants, formerly used as a medicine

  1. a nonalcoholic drink prepared from these roots

  2. any of various plants resembling true sarsaparilla, esp the araliaceous plant Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla), of North America

Origin of sarsaparilla

1
C16: from Spanish zarzaparrilla, from zarza a bramble, (from Arabic šaras) + -parrilla, from Spanish parra a climbing plant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012