alga
1 synonym for alga, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A simple aquatic organism that makes its own food by photosynthesis, ranging from a single cell to huge seaweeds such as giant kelp.
How to use alga
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
green alga
red alga
brown alga
golden alga
It is a biology term, mostly found in science writing and teaching.
Etymology
The word comes straight from Latin, where it was also spelt alga.
Full origin of alga →Frequently asked questions
What is the plural of alga?
The usual plural is algae. An older spelling, algæ, is now archaic.
Is algaes a word?
Algaes is not a standard plural. Use algae when you mean more than one alga.
Is seaweed an alga?
Yes, seaweeds are included among the algae. The group also covers much smaller forms, down to single cells.
