seaweed
[ see-weed ]
/ ˈsiˌwid /
noun
any plant or plants growing in the ocean.
a marine alga.
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Nearby words
seaward, seawards, seaware, seawater, seaway, seaweed, seaweed marquetry, seaworthy, sebaceous, sebaceous adenoma, sebaceous cyst
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Examples from the Web for seaweed
British Dictionary definitions for seaweed
seaweed
/ (ˈsiːˌwiːd) /
noun
any of numerous multicellular marine algae that grow on the seashore, in salt marshes, in brackish water, or submerged in the ocean
any of certain other plants that grow in or close to the sea
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for seaweed
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Science definitions for seaweed
seaweed
[ sē′wēd′ ]
Any of various red, green, or brown algae that live in ocean waters. Some species of seaweed are free-floating, while others are attached to the ocean bottom. Seaweed range from the size of a pinhead to having large fronds (such as those of many kelps) that can be as much as 30.5 m (100 ft) in length. Certain species are used for food (such as nori) and fertilizer, and others are harvested for carrageenan and other substances used as thickening, stabilizing, emulsifying, or suspending agents in industrial, pharmaceutical, and food products. Seaweed is also a natural source of the element iodine, which is otherwise found only in very small amounts. See more at brown alga green alga red alga.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.