licorice

Lic"o*rice, n. Etym: [OE. licoris, though old French, fr. L. liquiritia, corrupted fr. glycyrrhiza, Gr. Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza, Wort.] [Written also liquorice.] 1. (Bot.) Defn: A plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza (G. glabra), the root of which abounds with a juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions. 2. The inspissated juice of licorice root, used as a confection and medicinal purposes. Licorice fern (Bot.), a name of several kinds of polypody which have rootstocks of a sweetish flavor. -- Licorice sugar. (Chem.) See Glycyrrhizin. -- Licorice weed (Bot.), the tropical plant Scapania aulcis. -- Mountain licorice (Bot.), a kind of clover (Trifolium alpinum), found in the Alps. It has large purplish flowers and a sweetish perennial rootstock. -- Wild licorice. (Bot.) (a) The North American perennial herb Glycyrrhiza lepidota. (b) Certain broad-leaved cleavers (Galium circæzans and G. lanceolatum). (c) The leguminous climber Abrus precatorius, whose scarlet and black seeds are called black-eyed Susans. Its roots are used as a substitute for those of true licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra).

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