sarsaparilla

• sarsparilla, sasaparilla, sasparilla

From Spanish zarzaparrilla. The first element may ultimately derive from Basque; see Spanish zarza (“blackberry bush”) for more.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌsɑːspəˈɹɪlə/
• (Northern England) IPA^(key): /ˌsaspəˈɹɛlə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌsæspəˈɹɪlə/

• Audio (US)

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sarsaparilla (countable and uncountable, plural sarsaparillas)

1. Any of various tropical (Central and South) American vines of the genus Smilax, such as Smilax aspera, which have fragrant roots.
2. The dried roots of these plants, or a flavoring material extracted from these roots.
3. A beverage (soft drink) flavored with this root, such as root beer.
   • 1951, John Lardner, Strong Cigars and Lovely Women, page 4:

     “ […] If Cassidy goes around shooting their fingers off, how are they going to lift their sarsaparilla?” “Rustlers don't drink sarsaparilla,” came the reply, ending the conversation and throwing me back inside my twenty-yard line.

   • 1985, Jill Davies, A Garden of Miracles, →ISBN, page 52:

     Many root teas taste delightful and the old American drink, sarsaparilla, was made on the lines of a decoction, while its pleasant taste was known by most of Victorian Britain.

   • 1998, Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski, spoken by The Stranger (Sam Elliott):

     Say, friend, you got any more of that good sarsaparilla?

4. Any of several North American plants, of the genus Aralia, having umbels and small white flowers.

• bristly sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida)
• false sarsaparilla (Hardenbergia violacea)
• Honduran sarsaparilla (Smilax ornata)
• Indian sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus)
• Jamaican sarsaparilla (Smilax ornata)
• Mexican sarsaparilla (Smilax aristolochiifolia)
• native sarsaparilla
• Para sarsaparilla
• sarsaparilla tree (Alphitonia spp.)
• sweet sarsaparilla (Smilax glyciphylla)
• Virginia sarsaparilla wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

• sarsaparilla on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• sarsaparilla in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
• Sarsaparilla at The Plant List

From English sarsaparilla, from Spanish zarzaparilla.

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑrsɑpɑrilːɑ/, [ˈs̠ɑrs̠ɑpɑˌrilːɑ]
• Rhymes: -ilːɑ
• Syllabification^(key): sar‧sa‧pa‧ril‧la

sarsaparilla

1. sarsaparilla (any tree of the genus Smilax; their roots)