American licorice

8.7

A North American plant with a sweet root that people chew or use to sweeten drinks

noun
/əˈmɛrɪkən ˈlɪkərɪʃ/

: regaliz americano

The root of American licorice is sometimes used as a natural sweetener in herbal teas.

Examples

Many native peoples traditionally chewed American licorice for its sweet flavor and medicinal properties.
American licorice thrives in prairies and open woodlands throughout North America.
I love American licorice candies!
Have you tried American licorice before?
Many native peoples traditionally chewed American licorice for its sweet flavor and medicinal properties.
The root of American licorice is sometimes used as a natural sweetener in herbal teas.
American licorice thrives in prairies and open woodlands throughout North America.

Synonyms

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

vsAmerican licorice

Specialized

9.9

A North American plant in the pea family with a sweet root used like licorice

is a general North American plant term rather than the precise botanical name

wild licorice

vsAmerican licorice

7.5

A plant with sweet roots that flavor food and help with coughs

is defined by its North American botanical identity rather than by use

Surface Forms

American licorice singular

American licorices plural

Morphology

American + licorice

This is a straightforward adjective + noun combination: a licorice (plant or candy) that is associated with America. The meaning is directly inferable from 'American' (from the Americas) + 'licorice' (the sweet-rooted plant), with no idiomatic or metaphoric shift, so a B1 learner knowing both words would understand it.

Etymology

American licorice comes from people finding a North American plant whose root tasted like European licorice, so they chewed it as a 'sweet treat' and for medicine. That's why American shows it is the local plant and licorice describes its sweet, licorice-like root, meaning a North American plant with a licorice-flavored root.