sarsaparilla

2 definitions found

sarsaparilla - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Sarsaparilla \Sar`sa*pa*ril"la\, n. [Sp. zarzaparrilla; zarza a
     bramble (perhaps fr. Bisc. zartzia) + parra a vine, or
     Parillo, a physician said to have discovered it.] (Bot.)
     (a) Any plant of several tropical American species of
         Smilax.
     (b) The bitter mucilaginous roots of such plants, used in
         medicine and in sirups for soda, etc.
         [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The name is also applied to many other plants and their
           roots, especially to the Aralia nudicaulis, the wild
           sarsaparilla of the United States.
           [1913 Webster]

sarsaparilla - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  sarsaparilla
      n 1: any of various prickly climbing plants of the tropical
           American genus Smilax having aromatic roots and heart-
           shaped leaves
      2: carbonated drink flavored with an extract from sarsaparilla
         root or with birch oil and sassafras