| ALG | <abbreviation> Antilymphocyte globulin. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| alga | Origin: L, seaweed. <botany> A kind of seaweed; pl. The class of cellular cryptogamic plants which includes the black, red, and green seaweeds, as kelp, dulse, sea lettuce, also marine and fresh water confervae, etc. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| algae | <botany> A nontaxonomic term used to group several phyla of the lower plants, including the Rhodophyta (red algae), Chlorophyta (green algae), Phaeophyta (brown algae) and Chrysophyta (diatoms). Many algae are unicellular or consist of simple undifferentiated colonies, but red and brown algae are complex multicellular organisms, familiar to most people as seaweeds. Blue green algae are a totally separate group of prokaryotes, more correctly known as Cyanophyta or Cyanobacteria. (18 Nov 1997) |
| algae and fungi | Algae represent a group of spore-propagating plants, unicellular or undifferentiated into root, stem, and leaf. They include seaweed and many unicellular fresh water plants, most of which contain chlorophyll. They account for about 90% of the earth's photosynthetic activity. Fungi are eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms that live as saprobes or parasites and include mushrooms, yeasts, smuts, molds, etc. They lack chlorophyll. (12 Dec 1998) |
| algae, brown | Predominantly marine algae of the division phaeophyta, having chromatophores containing carotenoid pigments. Genera include ascophyllum, fucus, eisenia, petalonia, ectocarpus. (12 Dec 1998) |
| algae, green | Algae of the division chlorophyta, in which the green pigment of chlorophyll is not masked by other pigments. Classes include charophyceae, bryopsidophyceae, conjugatophyceae, oedogoniophyceae, chlorophyceae, and prasinophyceae. Common genera are acetabularia, chlamydomonas, chlorella, nitella, prototheca, scenedesmus, spirogyra, and volvox. (12 Dec 1998) |
| algae, red | Algae of the division rhodophyta, in which the pigment is predominantly red; common genera are gelidium, gracilaria, and polysiphonia. (12 Dec 1998) |
| algal | <botany> Pertaining to, or like, algae. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| algal oxidation pond | <ecology> A wide, shallow pond used in waste water treatment, the algae produce oxygen so that bacteria can aerobically digest sewage in the water. (09 Oct 1997) |
| algaroba | <botany> The Carob, a leguminous tree of the Mediterranean region; also, its edible beans or pods, called St. John's bread. The Honey mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), a small tree found from California to Buenos Ayres; also, its sweet, pulpy pods. A valuable gum, resembling gum arabic, is collected from the tree in Texas and Mexico. Origin: Sp. Algarroba, fr. Ar. Al-kharrbah. Cf. Carob. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| algaroth | <medicine> A term used for the Powder of Algaroth, a white powder which is a compound of trichloride and trioxide of antimony. It was formerly used in medicine as an emetic, purgative, and diaphoretic. Origin: F. Algaroth, fr. The name of the inventor, Algarotti. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| algarovilla | The agglutinated seeds and husks of the legumes of a South American tree (Inga Marthae). It is valuable for tanning leather, and as a dye. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| algazel | <zoology> The true gazelle. Origin: Ar. Al the + ghazal. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| alge- | Pain; corresponds to L. Dolor-. Origin: G. Algos, a pain (05 Mar 2000) |
| algebra | 1. <mathematics> That branch of mathematics which treats of the relations and properties of quantity by means of letters and other symbols. It is applicable to those relations that are true of every kind of magnitude. 2. A treatise on this science. Origin: LL. Algebra, fr. Ar. Al-jebr reduction of parts to a whole, or fractions to whole numbers, fr. Jabara to bind together, consolidate; al-jebr w'almuqabalah reduction and comparison (by equations): cf. F. Algebre, It. & Sp. Algebra. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |