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Glite Dictionary
sassafras oil

sassafras oil

8.9
An oil from sassafras tree roots used to make perfumes and to kill germs
  • noun
  • /ˈsæsəˌfræs ɔɪl/
  • US
translation icon : aceite de sasafrás
  • Some traditional remedies once included sassafras oil for its supposed healing properties.

Examples

  • The fragrance industry uses sassafras oil to create distinctive scents for perfumes and soaps.

  • The sassafras oil has a sweet, spicy aroma.

  • Due to health regulations, sassafras oil is less commonly found in commercial products today.

  • Have you ever tried sassafras oil in your recipes?

  • The perfumer used sassafras oil to create a unique fragrance for the new scent.

  • Many natural cleaning products contain sassafras oil for its disinfectant properties.

  • In the apothecary, sassafras oil was recommended for its soothing aroma and therapeutic uses.

Surface Forms

sassafras oil singular
sassafras oils plural

Morphology

Sassafras + oil

This is a straightforward noun–noun compound where the modifier 'Sassafras' specifies the source and 'oil' names the product, so the meaning 'oil obtained from sassafras' is directly derivable from the constituents. Such source+product compounds are common cross-linguistically and follow regular compositional patterns, making the expression transparent to learners who know both words.

Etymology

Sassafras oil comes from the fragrant sassafras tree: people used to boil or steam the tree's roots and bark to make a strong, sweet-smelling oil. Because this liquid smelled nice and helped clean things, the name now means the aromatic oil used in 'perfumes' and as a 'disinfectant'.