wild sarsparilla
- noun
- /waɪld ˌsɑːrspəˈrɪlə/
- US
:
sarsaparilla silvestre
- Some old recipes for homemade beverages called for wild sarsparilla instead of sarsaparilla root.
Examples
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The aromatic root of wild sarsparilla was once used by Indigenous peoples in traditional medicine.
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In the spring, wild sarsparilla spreads quickly across forest floors in central and eastern North America.
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I found some wild sarsparilla growing near the river.
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The wild sarsparilla has a pleasant aroma.
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In the spring, wild sarsparilla spreads quickly across forest floors in central and eastern North America.
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Some old recipes for homemade beverages called for wild sarsparilla instead of sarsaparilla root.
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The aromatic root of wild sarsparilla was once used by Indigenous peoples in traditional medicine.
Synonyms
A North American wild plant with sweet-smelling roots used for drinks and medicine
A plant that lives many years with scented roots used like sarsaparilla
A common plant with fragrant roots used instead of sarsaparilla
Surface Forms
Morphology
wild + sarsparilla
The noun phrase is compositionally transparent: 'wild' (growing naturally) modifies 'sarsaparilla' (the plant), so the meaning 'sarsaparilla that grows in the wild' is directly derivable from its parts. This follows a common adjective + noun pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand it.
Etymology
The plant name wild sarsparilla comes from a simple image: the herb grew in the wild and had sweet-smelling roots like true sarsparilla, which people used to make drinks and medicine. So wild sarsparilla means a wild herb whose root was used 'instead of' sarsaparilla.
