Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “algae” come from?

Algae comes from Latin alga, whose origin in Proto-Indo-European alg- remains obscure.

algae (English): plural of alga; Algal organisms viewed...

Definitions

  1. plural of alga; Algal organisms viewed...

Ancestry of “algae”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishalgaAny of many aquatic photosynthetic organisms,...
2LatinalgaSeaweed; plants that grow in freshwater;...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanalǵ-to be dirty, be slimy; frog; duckweed; to be...

Words derived from “algae”

  • algicide
  • algicidal
  • algaecidal
  • antialgae
Every word from Proto-Indo-European alǵ- →