DictionaryRoot: zarza
Spanish

zarza

bramble

1 / 1
Prickly sarsaparilla vine with heart-shaped leaves climbs a cane above exposed roots.
noun

sarsaparilla

sahr-spuh-RIL-uh/ˌsɑːrspəˈrɪlə/

A tropical climbing plant with flavoring roots.

Etymology

The Spanish components mean “bramble” and “little vine,” naming the plant whose root supplied the flavoring. The plant’s name extended to the sweet drink, originally with a suggestion of medicinal benefit.

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