sargassum

noun sar·gas·sum \ sär-ˈga-səm \

|Updated on: 25 Jul 2018

Definition of sargassum

: any of a genus (Sargassum) of brown algae that have a branching thallus with lateral outgrowths differentiated as leafy segments, air bladders, or spore-bearing structures : gulfweed

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Recent Examples of sargassum from the Web

Along parts of South Florida's Atlantic coast, mounds of seaweed known as sargassum have been pushed ashore by strong winds and ocean currents, dulling the water and coating beaches.

— jennifer kay, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Blue-green algae, red tide soil beaches, threaten Florida tourism," 10 July 2018
The seaweed, a brownish variety called sargassum, arrived largely from the Caribbean, where rotting seaweed has piled up on beaches and driven away tourists.

— david fleshler, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Seaweed assaults South Florida beaches," 20 June 2018
The chip: an intense-green crisp made of sargassum, a water algae.

— anthony faiola, Washington Post, "A new foodie mecca: A restaurant where lake algae and crispy piranha skin rule," 16 Jan. 2018
Cobia are legendarily tasty fish that cling to any type of structure, like oil platforms, gas wells, sargassum and, apparently, manta rays.

— todd masson, NOLA.com, "Louisiana anglers catch cobia off thousand-pound manta rays," 17 May 2017

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