Saracens. From the Arabic sharkeyn, “eastern people”; originally the designation of the Bedouins of Eastern Arabia. By the Crusaders it was applied to the Mohammedans generally. See “[Moors].”
Saracen’s Head. An inn sign of the time of the Crusades. Lest it might be thought that this was complimentary to the enemies of Christianity, mention may be made of the fact that the head of the Saracen was represented as severed.
Saragossa. A corruption of the Roman name Cæsarea Augusta.
Saratoga. Indian for “miraculous waters from the rock,” touching the famous mineral springs.
Saratoga Trunk. The popular type of travelling trunk in the United States, so called because it was first used by visitors to Saratoga Springs.
Sarcophagus. A Greek compound of sarkos, flesh, and phargo, to eat. The term was originally applied to a receptacle for the dead, because the early examples were made out of a kind of limestone which was thought to possess the property of consuming a corpse in a very short time.
Sardines. From Sardinia, in the waters of which island the true species of this fish abound.
Sardinia. Called Sandaliotis by the Greeks on account of its resemblance to a human footprint; this name was changed by the Romans to Sardo. At a later period the island was called Sardonion, from a poisonous herb, transplanted from Sardis in Asia Minor, which brought about a twitching of the muscles of the face resembling laughter; hence the phrase to “Smile sardonically.”
Sardinia Street. From the Sardinian Chapel built in 1648 in connection with the residence of the Sardinian Ambassador at the time when the island of Sardinia was nominally a kingdom, but really in the possession of Spain.
Sardonic Smile. See “[Sardinia].”