giant kelp

noun

plural giant kelps
: a very large, fast-growing brown alga (Macrocystis pyrifera) of cool oceans that often grows in dense patches, may reach a length of 150 feet (45 meters), and has long stipes from which arise leaflike blades with gas-filled air bladders at their base
giant kelp, the majestic floating seaweed species common to Monterey Bay … Peter Fimrite
Gliding through the frigid waters, I marveled at how the light filtered down through the healthy forests of giant kelp—a humongous species of brown algae … Ashley Harrell
Giant kelps bent to the seafloor from the weight of the mussels growing on them. Enric Sala

called also bladder kelp, giant bladder kelp

Examples of giant kelp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The team found that mature giant kelp beds shrank after the 2016 Soberanes fire in Monterey County, the 2017 Thomas fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and the 2018 Woolsey fire in the Santa Monica Mountains. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025 They’re grown in a hatchery and fed a diet of giant kelp that’s sustainably harvested from the surrounding area. Grant Stringer, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of giant kelp was in 1871

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Cite this Entry

“Giant kelp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/giant%20kelp. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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