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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In ideal conditions, giant kelp can grow at a rate of up to two feet per day. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024 The exhibit explores the giant kelp forest ecosystems of Southern California and how they have been observed and documented in the past 134 years. Del Mar Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2024 Sage Ono explores the abundant life around the giant kelp forests in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in California. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 In California, giant kelp can go from microscopic spores to fronds tens of meters long in a matter of months. Bywarren Cornwall, science.org, 29 Aug. 2024 And yet, when Kristen Davis, a physical oceanographer at Stanford University, rises from the depths after inspecting an experimental farm of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), the news is discouraging. Bywarren Cornwall, science.org, 29 Aug. 2024 The reef is essentially an anchor for giant kelp, which grows tall and thick to create the forests of the sea. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024 Under ideal conditions, one species of seaweed, giant kelp, can elongate by around two feet per day. Saima May Sidik, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024 Down here, forests are made of giant kelp, which is a perennial species, versus bull kelp in Northern California, which is an annual species. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near giant kelp

Cite this Entry

“Giant kelp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/giant%20kelp. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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