sambuca

1
[ sam-byoo-kuh ]

noun
  1. Also sam·buke [sam-byook]. /ˈsæm byuk/. an ancient stringed musical instrument used in Greece and the Middle East.

  2. a medieval hurdy-gurdy.

Origin of sambuca

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English sambuke, from Latin sambūca, from Greek sambȳ́kē, perhaps from Semitic; compare Aramaic sabbəkhā

Other definitions for sambuca (2 of 2)

sambuca2
[ sam-boo-kuh; Italian sahm-boo-kah ]

noun
  1. a licorice-flavored Italian liqueur made from elderberries.

Origin of sambuca

2
First recorded in 1970–75; from Italian, feminine derivative of sambuco “elder (tree),” from Latin sa(m)būcus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024