sassafras

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A deciduous eastern North American tree (Sassafras albidum) having irregularly lobed leaves and aromatic bark, leaves, and branches.
2. n. The dried root bark of this plant, used as a flavoring and a source of a volatile oil.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A tree, the only species of the genus Sassafras. It is common in eastern North America, in the south taking possession, along with the persimmon, of abandoned fields. It reaches a height of about 45 feet. Its wood is light and soft, coarsegrained, not strong, but very durable in contact with the soil, used for fencing, in cooperage, etc. The root, especially its bark, enters into commerce as a powerful aromatic stimulant, and is much used in flavoring and scenting, an oil being distilled in large quantities for the latter purposes. The bark is officinal, as also the pith, which affords a mucilaginous application and a drink. An early name in England was ague-tree.
2. n. [capitalized] [NL. (C. G. Nees, 1836).] A genus of apetalous trees of the order Laurineæ and tribe Litseaceæ, characterized by an umbel-like inflorescence of diœcious flowers in loose and short racemes from terminal buds, and produced around the base of the new growth of the season. The flowers have a six-lobed perianth and nine stamens in three rows, with their anthers introrsely four-celled, the third row of filaments each with a stalked gland at the base. The only species, S. officinale, is a native of the United States, especially southward and principally east of the Mississippi, extending also into Canada. It is a small or middle-sized tree, with aromatic bark and roots, and remarkable for the green color of its flowers, bud-scales, and branches, and for its dimorphous leaves, the earlier entire and oval, the later three-lobed or irregular. See cut in next column.
3. n. Of New South Wales: Dorypha Sassafras of the same order, another large tree, with very fragrant leaves, and aromatic bark used in infusion as a tonic.
4. n. Of Queensland: a smaller related tree, Daphnandra micrantha.
5. n. A smaller related tree, Daphnandra micrantha, of the family Monimiaceæ.

Wiktionary

1. n. A tree of species Sassafras albidum of the eastern United States and Asia having mitten-shaped leaves and red, aromatic heartwood.
2. n. A tree of any species in the genus Sassafras.
3. n. The bark of the root of this plant, used for medicinal and (mostly historically) culinary purposes and formerly a main ingredient in root beer.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. An American tree of the Laurel family (Sassafras officinale); also, the bark of the roots, which has an aromatic smell and taste.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. yellowwood tree with brittle wood and aromatic leaves and bark; source of sassafras oil; widely distributed in eastern North America
2. n. dried root bark of the sassafras tree