Sargasso Sea
1
6.7
- proper noun
- /sɑrˈɡæs.oʊ si/
:
Mar de los Sargazos
- Many researchers study the unique ecosystem of the Sargasso Sea and its impact on ocean currents.
Examples
-
In the oceans, the ubiquitous phylum known as SAR11, first discovered in the Sargasso Sea, constitutes about a third of the microbial community in sea surface water.
Academic text (2004) -
On Bermuda, surrounded by the warm waters of the Sargasso Sea, and on Caribbean islands, the little red land crab Gecarcinus lateralis is yet more successful at invading land.
Academic text (1990) -
Sailing through the bright blue waters of the Sargasso Sea was a memorable experience.
-
The Sargasso Sea is famous for its floating islands of seaweed that attract various marine life.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The name transparently combines 'sargasso' (brown seaweed) and 'sea', so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a sea characterized by large amounts of sargassum. This kind of descriptive place-name (like Red Sea, Dead Sea) is cross-linguistically common, making the meaning accessible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Sargasso Sea is named after the large floating mats of sargassum, a kind of seaweed, that early sailors found there; they called the area the 'sea of sargassum' because the water was full of the weed. That's why the name now means the part of the Atlantic famous for calm blue water and thick floating seaweed.