duckweed

noun duck·weed \ ˈdək-ˌwēd \

Definition of duckweed

: a small floating aquatic monocotyledonous plant (family Lemnaceae, the duckweed family)

Recent Examples of duckweed from the Web

The sleek design of the lures allow them to be run through all sorts of emergent weeds as well as through mats of duckweed, hyacinth, lily pads and other bassy cover, usually without catching debris.

— frank sargeant, AL.com, "Time to get a buzz on for fall bass," 17 Sep. 2017
With the incredible diversity of flowers that exist today—from pinprick-sized duckweed to the meters-high blooms of a corpse flower—

— patrick monahan, Science | AAAS, "The world’s first flower may have looked like this," 1 Aug. 2017
The gators, though, are the draw, and there are more than 100 lurking in the waters blanketed in lime-green duckweed.

— richard tribou, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Roadside attractions: 50 things to do when traveling State Road 50," 20 July 2017
Duckweed — so called because ducks eat it — is a flowering aquatic plant that floats on or just below the surface of still bodies of water, while watermeal is the world’s smallest flowering plant.

— hector argüello canals, National Geographic, "A Green Way to Clean Ponds," 17 June 2016
After the use of the chemical diquat, the duckweed turns brown and sinks to the bottom, which can nourish unkilled weeds, effectively making matters worse.

— hector argüello canals, National Geographic, "A Green Way to Clean Ponds," 17 June 2016
Duckweed can be used for wastewater treatment, in biofuels, and as a protein-and-mineral-rich feedstock.

— hector argüello canals, National Geographic, "A Green Way to Clean Ponds," 17 June 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'duckweed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.