sarsaparilla: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Specialized/Historical
Quick answer
What does “sarsaparilla” mean?
A plant of the genus Smilax, or a soft drink historically flavoured with an extract from its root.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A plant of the genus Smilax, or a soft drink historically flavoured with an extract from its root.
Refers to both a group of tropical American climbing plants (Smilax spp.) and, more commonly in modern use, a carbonated soft drink historically made from its root extract, often associated with old-fashioned soda fountains.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The beverage is more culturally embedded in American history and lexicon. In the UK, it is recognised but less common, often associated with American cultural exports.
Connotations
US: Nostalgia, old West, traditional soda fountain. UK: An Americanism, a somewhat exotic flavour.
Frequency
Far more frequent in US English, though still a low-frequency word overall.
Grammar
How to Use “sarsaparilla” in a Sentence
[drink/v] + sarsaparilla[made from] + sarsaparilla root[flavoured with] + sarsaparillaVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sarsaparilla” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sarsaparilla extract gave it a distinct taste.
American English
- He preferred the sarsaparilla float to the root beer one.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in contexts of beverage manufacturing or historic product marketing.
Academic
In botany or history papers discussing historic beverages or Smilax genus plants.
Everyday
Used when discussing old-fashioned drinks, soda shops, or historical contexts.
Technical
In botany (Smilax spp.) or food science (as a flavouring agent).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sarsaparilla”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sarsaparilla”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sarsaparilla”
- Misspelling: 'sasparilla', 'sarsperilla'.
- Mispronunciation: placing primary stress on the first syllable.
- Assuming it is a type of beer or alcoholic.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, traditional sarsaparilla is a non-alcoholic, carbonated soft drink.
It has a distinctive, rooty, slightly sweet and often wintergreen or licorice-like flavour.
They are similar historic beverages and often conflated, but traditional root beer uses sassafras root, while sarsaparilla uses Smilax root. Modern versions often blend flavours.
It derives from the Spanish 'zarzaparrilla', from 'zarza' (bramble) + 'parrilla' (a small vine), referring to the plant.
A plant of the genus Smilax, or a soft drink historically flavoured with an extract from its root.
Sarsaparilla is usually specialized/historical in register.
Sarsaparilla: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɑːs(ə)pəˈrɪlə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsærsəpəˈrɪlə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old SARgeant in the American SARannah, drinking a peculiar drink with a PARAkeet on the bottle: SAR-SA-PARA-LLA.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TASTE OF THE PAST (the drink evokes a bygone era).
Practice
Quiz
What is sarsaparilla primarily known as in modern colloquial use?