sargassum

[ sahr-gas-uhm ]

/ sɑrˈgæs əm /

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noun

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

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Origin of sargassum

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

Words nearby sargassum

Sarera Bay, SARFU, Sarg, sargasso, Sargasso Sea, sargassum, sargassumfish, sarge, Sargent, Sargeson, sargo

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sargassum in a sentence

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
The Sargassites, finally, have been vaguely referred to the genus Sargassum, so abundant in tropical seas.
The World Before the Deluge|Louis Figuier
Indeed, this region is especially so called on account of the ‘Sargassum,’ or weed, in the Portuguese tongue.
The White Squall|John Conroy Hutcheson
Sea-lentil is a name sometimes applied to the gulfweed Sargassum vulgare.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 4|Various

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

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