eelgrass

noun

eel·​grass ˈēl-ˌgras How to pronounce eelgrass (audio)
1
: a submerged long-leaved monocotyledonous marine plant (Zostera marina) that is found especially in coastal temperate waters and whose dried stems and leaves are used especially as packing material in woven goods
2

Examples of eelgrass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The most common food for these divers is fingernail clams, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and a variety of vegetation like wild celery, eelgrass, and salicornia. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Feb. 2024 Warming temperatures are complicating restoration efforts for populations of blue crabs, striped bass, and other organisms, altering salinity and oxygen levels and threatening underwater plants such as eelgrass, which provides critical habitat for fish and crabs. Xin-Zhong Liang, Baltimore Sun, 19 Jan. 2024 Newcomers may be undeterred by Florida’s hurricanes, but recent storms have been disastrous at all levels of life—even for eelgrass, an important food source for manatees. Kiley Bense, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024 The area is home to extensive eelgrass beds, an essential fish habitat. Krissy Waite, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2024 Researchers are also exposing eelgrass seed to different salinity and temperature levels while examining genetic differences. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2023 In fact, their love of wild celery, or eelgrass, lends itself to the bird’s scientific name of Aythya valisineria, as the Latin word for wild celery is Vallisneria Americana. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023 Since being restocked in the 1990s with otters, eelgrass in the tidal estuary about 20 miles up the coast from the aquarium has flourished because of a remarkable ecological cascade. Dino Grandoni and Melina Mara, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2023 The unexpected result: The introduction of otters in Elkhorn Slough helped boost eelgrass by 60 percent, according to a 2013 study, turning it into a vibrant nursery of juvenile fish and a crucial pit stop for migratory birds. Dino Grandoni and Melina Mara, Anchorage Daily News, 11 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eelgrass.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of eelgrass was in 1790

Dictionary Entries Near eelgrass

Cite this Entry

“Eelgrass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eelgrass. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

eelgrass

noun
eel·​grass ˈē(ə)l-ˌgras How to pronounce eelgrass (audio)
: a saltwater plant that is a monocotyledon and has long ribbonlike leaves

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