licorice
n.n. a sweet, dark root that people use to make candy. It has a strong, slightly bitter taste and is often used in traditional medicine.
n. the dried root of the plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, used as a sweetener and in traditional medicine. Often refers to the processed candy made from this root.
He prefers the natural licorice root over the candy.
The herbalist recommended licorice to help soothe the patient's sore throat and reduce inflammation.
While the candy version is intensely sweet, the raw licorice root contains compounds that can actually lower blood pressure when consumed in large quantities over a long period.
From Middle English lycorys, from Old French licoresse, from Late Latin liquiritia, alteration of Ancient Greek γλυκύρριζα (glukúrrhiza): γλυκύς (glukús, “sweet”) + ῥίζα (rhíza, “root”) (English glucose, English rhizome). Doublet of glycyrrhiza.