sarsaparilla

• sarsparilla, sasaparilla, sasparilla

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.

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

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

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. 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 (motion picture), 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.

• (botanical ingredients of root beer): sassafras

• sarsaparilla on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “sarsaparilla”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• Sarsaparilla at The Plant List

From English sarsaparilla, from Spanish zarzaparilla.

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

sarsaparilla

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