[sar.sa.pa.ril.la] n [Sp zarzaparrilla, fr. zarza bush + parrilla, dim. of parra vine] (1577) 1 a: any of various tropical American greenbriers b: the dried roots of a sarsaparilla used esp. as a flavoring
2: any of various plants (as wild sarsaparilla) that resemble or are used as a substitute for sarsaparilla
3: a sweetened carbonated beverage flavored with sassafras and oil distilled from a European birch