Licorice (l&ibreve_;k&ouptack_;r&ibreve_;s), n. [OE. licoris, through old French, fr. L. liquiritia, corrupted fr. glycyrrhiza, Gr. glykyrriza; glykys sweet + riza root. Cf. Glycerin, Glycyrrhiza, Wort.] [Written also liquorice.] 1. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Glycyrrhiza (Glycyrrhiza glabra), the root of which abounds with a sweet juice, and is much used in demulcent compositions.
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2. The inspissated juice of licorice root, used as a confection and for medicinal purposes.
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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 dulcis. -- 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 Galium 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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