sassafras Hear it!

sassafras definition

☆ sas·sa·fras (sas′ə fras′)

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

Etymology: Sp sasafras < ? earlier sassifragia, saxifrage

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.