stonewort

American

[stohn-wurt, -wawrt] / ˈstoʊnˌwɜrt, -ˌwɔrt /

noun

any of a plantlike group of green algae constituting the class Charophyceae, having a jointed body frequently encrusted with lime and usually attached to the bottom in fresh water.

stonewort British

/ ˈstəʊnˌwɜːt /

noun

any of various green algae of the genus Chara, which grow in brackish or fresh water and have jointed fronds encrusted with lime

"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 stonewort

First recorded in 1575–85; stone + wort ²

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.

Starry stonewort is an algae that forms thick mats and can clog boat motors.

From Washington Times • Jul. 9, 2017

Local lakeshore owners proposed trying the strategy last year after starry stonewort was found in the Sylvia lakes.

From Washington Times • Jul. 9, 2017

About 5 percent of the state’s lakes are infested with species such as zebra mussels, Eurasian milfoil and starry stonewort.

From Washington Times • Jul. 9, 2017

The agency said Friday that starry stonewort has been confirmed in Lake Koronis and Mud Lake, which is connected to Koronis, in Stearns and Meeker counties.

From Washington Times • Aug. 29, 2015

Agency staff investigated and found starry stonewort in 53 acres of the lake.

From Washington Times • Aug. 29, 2015

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