sarsaparilla (redirected from sarsaparillas)

sar·sa·pa·ril·la  (ssp-rl, särs-)

n.

1.

a. Any of several tropical American plants of the genus Smilax, having fragrant roots used as a flavoring.

b. The dried roots of any of these plants.

c. A sweet soft drink flavored with these roots.

2. Either of two North American plants (Aralia hispida or A. nudicaulis) having umbels of small white flowers and bipinnately compound leaves.

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[Spanish zarzaparrilla : zarza, bramble (from Arabic aras, colloquial variant of irs, from arasa, to be vicious, ultimately from arra; see rr in Semitic roots) + parrilla, diminutive of parra, vine.]

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sarsaparilla

Noun

a nonalcoholic drink prepared from the roots of a tropical American climbing plant [Spanish sarzaparrilla]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	sarsaparilla - any of various prickly climbing plants of the tropical American genus Smilax having aromatic roots and heart-shaped leaves genus Smilax, Smilax - sometimes placed in Smilacaceae sarsaparilla root - dried root of any of various plants of the genus Smilax used as a flavoring agent rough bindweed, Smilax aspera - creeping or climbing evergreen having spiny zigzag stems with shiny leaves and racemes of pale-green flowers; Canary Islands to southern Europe and Ethiopia and India vine - a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
	2.	sarsaparilla - carbonated drink flavored with an extract from sarsaparilla root or with birch oil and sassafras soft drink - nonalcoholic beverage (usually carbonated) sarsaparilla root - dried root of any of various plants of the genus Smilax used as a flavoring agent