Dictionary

sarsaparilla en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˌsaspəˈɹɪlə/ (Northern-England)
• /ˌsæspəˈɹɪlə/ (General-American)
• (General-American) audio
• /ˌsɑːspəˈɹɪlə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Spanish zarzaparrilla. The first element may ultimately derive from Basque; see Spanish zarza (“blackberry bush”) for more. The usual pronunciation of the first part of the word as /sæsp-/ or /sɑːsp-/ may be due to dissimilatory loss of the first of two r sounds (compare governor /ˈɡʌvənɚ/ and February /ˈfɛb.juˌɛɹi/). Occasionally this word is pronounced with a schwa between the s and the p, or without a schwa between the p and the r.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Any of various tropical (Central and South) American vines of the genus Smilax, such as Smilax aspera, which have fragrant roots.
2. (countable, uncountable) Dried roots of these plants, or a flavoring material extracted from these roots.
3. (countable, uncountable) A beverage (soft drink) flavored with this root, such as root beer.
   • “[…]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. 1951, John Lardner, Strong Cigars and Lovely Women, page 4:
   • Say, friend, you got any more of that good sarsaparilla? 1998, Joel and Ethan Coen, The Big Lebowski (motion picture), spoken by The Stranger (Sam Elliott):
   • 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. 1985, Jill Davies, A Garden of Miracles, →ISBN, page 52:
4. (countable, uncountable) Any of several North American plants, of the genus Aralia, having umbels and small white flowers.
5. (countable, uncountable) An American vine of species Nephroia diversifolia.

Forms

Deriveds

sarsaparilla tree · bristly sarsaparilla · Para sarsaparilla · Jamaican sarsaparilla · sweet sarsaparilla · Honduran sarsaparilla · false sarsaparilla · sarsaparillin · native sarsaparilla · Indian sarsaparilla · Mexican sarsaparilla · Virginia sarsaparilla wild sarsaparilla

Relateds

sassafras (botanical ingredients of root beer)

Translations (26)

cmn 菝葜屬 /菝葜属 (vine of the genus Smilax) · pt salsaparrilha (vine of the genus Smilax) · es zarzaparrilla (vine of the genus Smilax) · de Stechwinde (vine of the genus Smilax) · yue 沙示 (soft drink) · fr salsepareille (vine of the genus Smilax) · fi sarsaparilla (vine of the genus Smilax) · tl sarsaparilya (vine of the genus Smilax) · cmn 撒爾沙植物 /撒尔沙植物 (vine of the genus Smilax) · ro sarsaparilă (vine of the genus Smilax) · pl sasparilla (vine of the genus Smilax) · eo smilako (vine of the genus Smilax) · ru сарсапаре́ль (vine of the genus Smilax) · pl kolcorośl (vine of the genus Smilax) · de Sarsaparilla (vine of the genus Smilax) · hu szárcsalián (vine of the genus Smilax) · io sarsaparelo (vine of the genus Smilax) · tl sagnik (vine of the genus Smilax) · sv sarsaparill (vine of the genus Smilax) · it salsapariglia (vine of the genus Smilax) · gl silvamar (vine of the genus Smilax) · gl rigorda (vine of the genus Smilax) · cmn 沙士 (soft drink) · de Sarsaparille (vine of the genus Smilax) · gl mexacán (vine of the genus Smilax) · tl sabnik (vine of the genus Smilax)