sassafras tree vs laurel

sassafras tree and laurel both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
sassafras tree	Yes	No	No	No
laurel	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, laurel is a hypernym of sassafras tree; that is, laurel is a word with a broader meaning than sassafras tree:

sassafras tree: yellowwood tree with brittle wood and aromatic leaves and bark; source of sassafras oil; widely distributed in eastern North America
laurel: any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family

sassafras tree (noun)	laurel (noun)
yellowwood tree with brittle wood and aromatic leaves and bark; source of sassafras oil; widely distributed in eastern North America	(antiquity) a wreath of laurel foliage worn on the head as an emblem of victory
	any of various aromatic trees of the laurel family