spirogyra

[ spahy-ruh-jahy-ruh ]

nounBotany.
  1. a widely distributed filamentous freshwater green alga of the genus Spirogyra.

Origin of spirogyra

1
1895–1900; <New Latin, equivalent to spiro-spiro-2 + -gyra, alteration of Greek gŷros circle or gȳrós round

Words Nearby spirogyra

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British Dictionary definitions for spirogyra

spirogyra

/ (ˌspaɪrəˈdʒaɪərə) /


noun
  1. any green freshwater multicellular alga of the genus Spirogyra, consisting of minute filaments containing spirally coiled chloroplasts

Origin of spirogyra

1
C20: from New Latin, from spiro- ² + Greek guros a circle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for spirogyra

spirogyra

[ spī′rə-jī ]


  1. Any of a genus of filamentous freshwater green algae having cylindrically shaped cells with spiral-shaped bands of chloroplasts. Species of Spirogyra reproduce asexually by cell division and fragmentation and sexually by conjugation. They form green scum on ponds, floated by the oxygen produced by photosynthesis.

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