sargassum

American

[sahr-gas-uhm] / sɑrˈgæs əm /

noun

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

sargassum British

/ sɑːˈɡæsəm, sɑːˈɡæsəʊ /

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of sargassum

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The findings highlight the need for beach management strategies that adapt to the rapid spread of sargassum.

From Science Daily • Nov. 24, 2025

Leatherbacks needed 54% more time to cross light sargassum and 158% more time to cross heavy sargassum.

From Science Daily • Nov. 24, 2025

Despite the delays and the physical effort involved, researchers found no significant differences in blood glucose levels between the hatchlings that crossed sargassum and those that did not.

From Science Daily • Nov. 24, 2025

Biologist Shamika Spencer was hired to experiment with differing amounts of sargassum and waste water to figure out which combination produced the most biogas.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2024

The reporter and his companions, after having eaten a quantity of lithodomes, sucked the sargassum, of which the taste was very tolerable.

From The Mysterious Island by Verne, Jules

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023