brown alga
noun
plural brown algae also brown algas
: any of a division (Phaeophyta) of variable mostly marine algae with chlorophyll masked by brown pigment
Examples of brown alga in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
It may be chemically couched: eggs of the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum, for example, send out a chemical that attracts the sperm of A. nodosum and no other.
—
James Shreeve, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
The seaweed known as Saccharina latissima, or sugar kelp, is a yellowish brown alga that grows along rocky coastlines.
—Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2022
James Shreeve, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
The seaweed known as Saccharina latissima, or sugar kelp, is a yellowish brown alga that grows along rocky coastlines.
—Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brown alga.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1780, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near brown alga
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“Brown alga.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brown%20alga. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
brown alga
noun
: any of a group of mostly marine algae with the chlorophyll masked by brown coloring matter
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