Definition of alga
algae
play \ˈal-(ˌ)jē\ alsoalgas
: a plant or plantlike organism of any of several phyla, divisions, or classes of chiefly aquatic usually chlorophyll-containing nonvascular organisms of polyphyletic origin that usually include the green, yellow-green, brown, and red algae in the eukaryotes and especially formerly the cyanobacteria in the prokaryotes
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of alga from the Web
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YESTERDAY’S WORD — ALLAYING again agnail alga align allay ally allying anil lagan lain lanai laying liana lily ling liny lying yang illy inlay inly nail nyala gaily gain gala gall gill To purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com.
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This distinctive form of the freshwater alga Aegagropila linnaei is exceedingly rare.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'alga.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of alga
Latin, seaweed
ALGA Defined for Kids
alga
playDefinition of alga for Students
algae
\ˈal-ˌjē\: any of a large group of simple plants and plant-like organisms (as a seaweed) that usually grow in water and produce chlorophyll like plants but do not produce seeds
Medical Dictionary
alga
playMedical Definition of alga
algae
\ˈal-(ˌ)jē\play alsoalgas
: a plant or plantlike organism of any of several phyla, divisions, or classes of chiefly aquatic usually chlorophyll-containing nonvascular organisms of polyphyletic origin that usually include the green, yellow-green, brown, and red algae in the eukaryotes and especially formerly included the cyanobacteria in the prokaryotes
Learn More about alga
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Spanish Central: Translation of alga Nglish: Translation of alga for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of alga for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about alga
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