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sar·gas·so

(sär-găsō)

n. pl. sar·gas·sos

See gulfweed.

[Portuguese sargaşo, probably a specialized use (possibly influenced by Portuguese argaço, seaweed, variant of algaço : alga, seaweed, from Latin + -aço, augmentative suffix, and by Portuguese salgar, to preserve by salting or brining, from Vulgar Latin *salicāre, from Latin sāl, sal-, salt) of sargaşo, rockrose (many species of which form dense spreading mats on arid land), probably from Vulgar Latin *salicāceus, willowlike plant (in reference to the narrow, willowlike leaves of some common rockrose species such as Cistus monspeliensis), from Latin salix, salic-, willow.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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