sargasso weed
- noun
- /sɑrˈɡæs.oʊ wid/
:
alga sargazo
- The ship became entangled in sargasso weed during the long voyage.
Examples
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Scientists study how sargasso weed supports diverse marine life in the Atlantic.
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Large patches of sargasso weed can be spotted floating across the open sea.
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The sargasso weed floats on the surface of the ocean.
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Many marine animals find shelter in sargasso weeds.
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Large patches of sargasso weed can be spotted floating across the open sea.
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The ship became entangled in sargasso weed during the long voyage.
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Scientists study how sargasso weed supports diverse marine life in the Atlantic.
Synonyms
41
1.0
A plant that grows in the sea, often in long green or brown sheets
1
9.9
Brown seaweed with small air bubbles that forms large floating mats
1
9.9
Brown seaweed that floats in large mats on the ocean surface
A brown seaweed with round air sacs that floats in large patches in warm Atlantic waters
A brown seaweed with round air bubbles that forms large floating mats in warm Atlantic waters
A brown seaweed that often floats in large mats on the ocean surface
Dead seaweed and other sea plants washed up on the shore
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is directly compositional: 'sargasso' names a specific brown seaweed and 'weed' denotes a wild plant, so 'sargasso weed' straightforwardly refers to the weed (plant) that is Sargassum. This noun+noun naming pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Sargasso weed names the brown seaweed that floats in large patches in the Sargasso Sea; the parts sargasso (the sea) and weed (a water plant) show the literal image. So it means a type of 'floating seaweed' that forms mats, supports sea life, and can even tangle ships.