any of various prickly climbing plants of the tropical American genus Smilax having large aromatic roots and heart-shaped leaves: family Smilacaceae
2.
the dried roots of any of these plants, formerly used as a medicine
3.
a nonalcoholic drink prepared from these roots
4.
any of various plants resembling true sarsaparilla, esp the araliaceous plant Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla), of North America
Word origin
C16: from Spanish zarzaparrilla, from zarza a bramble, (from Arabic šaras) + -parrilla, from Spanish parra a climbing plant
sarsaparilla in American English
(ˌsæspəˈrɪlə; ˌ sɑrspəˈrɪlə; ˌ sɑrsəˈrɪlə)
noun
1.
any of a number of tropical American, spiny, woody vines (genus Smilax) of the lily family, with large, fragrant roots and toothed, heart-shaped leaves
2.
the dried roots of any of these plants, formerly used in medicine
3.
an extract of these roots
4. US
a sweetened, carbonated drink flavored with or as with sarsaparilla
5.
any of several North American plants resembling sarsaparilla; esp., a woodland plant, wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) of the ginseng family