sargassum

[ sahr-gas-uh m ]

/ sɑrˈgæs əm /

noun

any seaweed of the genus Sargassum, widely distributed in the warmer waters of the globe, as S. bacciferum, the common gulfweed.

Nearby words

sarera bay, sarfu, sarg, sargasso, sargasso sea, sargassum, sargassumfish, sarge, sargent, sargeson, sargo

Origin of sargassum

From New Latin, dating back to 1900–05; see origin at sargasso

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sargassum

Sargassum is distinguished by its differentiation into stem and leaf, resembling in outward appearance the higher plants.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold
Sea-lentil is a name sometimes applied to the gulfweed Sargassum vulgare.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 4|Various
Indeed, this region is especially so called on account of the ‘Sargassum,’ or weed, in the Portuguese tongue.
The White Squall|John Conroy Hutcheson
Edward Forbes supposed that the Sargassum or Gulf-weed represents the littoral sea-weeds of a now submerged continent.
More Letters of Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin

The sargassum and the almonds of the stone-pine completed the repast, during which the engineer spoke little.
The Mysterious Island|Jules Verne

British Dictionary definitions for sargassum

sargassum

sargasso (sɑːˈɡæsəʊ)

/ (sɑːˈɡæsəm) /

noun

any floating brown seaweed of the genus Sargassum, such as gulfweed, of warm seas, having ribbon-like fronds containing air sacs

Word Origin for sargassum

C18: from New Latin; see sargasso

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