agar
[ ah-gahr, ag-er ]
/ ˈɑ gɑr, ˈæg ər /
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noun
Also agar-agar. Also called Chinese gelatin, Chinese isinglass, Japanese gelatin, Japanese isinglass. a gelatinlike product of certain seaweeds, used for solidifying certain culture media, as a thickening agent for ice cream and other foods, as a substitute for gelatin, in adhesives, as an emulsifier, etc.
Biology. a culture medium having an agar base.
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Origin of agar
First recorded in 1885–90, agar is from the Malay word agaragar seaweed from which a gelatin is rendered, or the gelatin itself
Definition for agar (2 of 2)
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Example sentences from the Web for agar
British Dictionary definitions for agar
agar
/ (ˈeɪɡə) /
noun
a complex gelatinous carbohydrate obtained from seaweeds, esp those of the genus Gelidium, used as a culture medium for bacteria, a laxative, in food such as ice cream as a thickening agent (E406), etcAlso called: agar-agar
Word Origin for agar
C19: Malay
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for agar
agar
[ ā′gär′, ä′gär′ ]
n.
A gelatinous material derived from marine algae, used as a base for bacterial culture media and as a stabilizer and thickener in food.
A culture medium containing this material.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for agar
agar
[ ā′gär′, ä′gär′ ]
A gelatinous material obtained from marine algae, especially seaweed, used as a medium for growing bacterial cultures in the laboratory and as a thickener and stabilizer in food products.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.