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Webster 1913 Edition
Sassafras
Sas′sa-fras
,Noun.
[F.
sassafras
(cf. It. sassafrasso
, sassafras
, Sp. sasafras
, salsafras
, salsifrax
, salsifragia
, saxifragia
), fr. L. saxifraga
saxifrage. See Saxifrage
.] (Bot.)
An American tree of the Laurel family (
Sassafras officinale
); also, the bark of the roots, which has an aromatic smell and taste. Australian sassafras
, a lofty tree (
– Doryophora Sassafras
) with aromatic bark and leaves. Chilian sassafras
, an aromatic tree (
– Laurelia sempervirens
). New Zealand sassafras
, a similar tree (
– Laurelia Novae Zelandiae
). Sassafras nut
. See
– Pichurim bean
. Swamp sassafras
, the sweet bay (
Magnolia glauca
). See Magnolia
.Webster 1828 Edition
Sassafras
SAS'SAFRAS
,Noun.
A tree of the genus Laurus, whose bark has an aromatic smell and taste.
Definition 2024
Sassafras
sassafras
sassafras
See also: Sassafras
English
Alternative forms
The leaf of Sassafras albidum
- saxefras [17th c.]
Noun
sassafras (countable and uncountable, plural sassafrases)
- (countable) A tree of species Sassafras albidum of the eastern United States and Asia having mitten-shaped leaves and red, aromatic heartwood.
- (countable) A tree of any species in the genus Sassafras.
- (uncountable) The bark of the root of this plant, used for medicinal and (mostly historically) culinary purposes and formerly a main ingredient in root beer.
- 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, in Kupperman 1988, p. 82:
- our allowance was somewhat bettered, by a daily proportion of Bisket, which the sailers would pilfer to sell, give, or exchange with us, for money, Saxefras, furres, or love.
- 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, in Kupperman 1988, p. 82:
Derived terms
- Australian sassafras
- black sassafras (Cinnamomum oliveri)
- blackheart sassafras (Atherosperma moschatum)
- Chilean sassafras (Laurelia sempervirens)
- New Zealand sassafras (Laurelia novae-zelandiae)
- sassafras nut
- southern sassafras (Atherospermataceae spp.)
- swamp sassafras
Translations
tree of the species Sassafras
dried bark of the sassafras tree
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See also
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Sassafras on Wikispecies.Wikispecies