Sassafras is a herb which is produced from the dried roots of the sassafras tree.
2. countable noun [oft N n]
A sassafras or a sassafras tree is a tree, found mainly in North America, the roots of which are used to make the herb sassafras.
sassafras in British English
(ˈsæsəˌfræs)
noun
1.
an aromatic deciduous lauraceous tree, Sassafras albidum, of North America, having three-lobed leaves and dark blue fruits
2.
the aromatic dried root bark of this tree, used as a flavouring, and yielding sassafras oil
3. Australian
any of several unrelated trees having a similar fragrant bark
Word origin
C16: from Spanish sasafrás, of uncertain origin
sassafras in American English
(ˈsæsəˌfræs)
US
noun
1.
a small E North American tree (Sassafras albidum) of the laurel family, having an aromatic bark, leaves with usually two or three fingerlike lobes, and small, bluish fruits
2.
the dried root bark of this tree, used as a flavoring agent and yielding safrole