sargasso

Everyday

1. (a name) The Sargasso Sea is a part of the North Atlantic Ocean with no coast around it, famous for floating brown seaweed. tree →
2. Sargasso (also sargassum) is the kind of brown seaweed that floats there in large mats. tree →

In the lessons

In geography and science lessons, the Sargasso Sea is the only sea with no land borders; it is bounded by ocean currents. Eels from Europe and North America swim there to lay eggs, and baby turtles shelter in the seaweed. Huge mats of sargassum sometimes wash onto Caribbean beaches. Phrases: the Sargasso Sea, sargasso weed.

Examples

• The Sargasso Sea is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. tree →
• European eels travel thousands of kilometres to the Sargasso Sea. tree →
• Sargasso seaweed floats in huge golden mats. tree →
• Baby sea turtles hide in the sargasso weed. tree →
• The Sargasso Sea has no coastline at all. tree →
• Sailors once feared their ships would get stuck in the Sargasso. tree →

Note

Capital S for the sea. The seaweed is usually called "sargassum" by scientists. Myth: ships do not really get trapped in the seaweed; old stories exaggerated.