agar

¹

[ ah-gahr, ag-er ]

noun

1. Also agar-agar. Also called Chinese gelatin,. a gelatinlike product of certain seaweeds, used for solidifying certain culture media, as a thickening agent for ice cream and other foods, as a substitute for gelatin, in adhesives, as an emulsifier, etc.
2. Biology. a culture medium having an agar base.

Agar

²

[ ey-gahr ]

noun

, Douay Bible.

1. Hagar.

agar

/ ˈeɪɡə /

noun

1. a complex gelatinous carbohydrate obtained from seaweeds, esp those of the genus Gelidium, used as a culture medium for bacteria, a laxative, in food such as ice cream as a thickening agent ( E406 ), etc Also calledagar-agar

agar

/ ā′gär′,ä′gär′ /

1. A gelatinous material obtained from marine algae, especially seaweed, used as a medium for growing bacterial cultures in the laboratory and as a thickener and stabilizer in food products.

Word History and Origins

Origin of agar¹

First recorded in 1885–90, agar is from the Malay word agaragar seaweed from which a gelatin is rendered, or the gelatin itself

Word History and Origins

Origin of agar¹

C19: Malay

Example Sentences

Researchers created a system where mature, green orchids were connected to developing, chlorophyll-free seedlings through a fungal network grown on agar.

From Science Daily

Then using organ agar made from the mouse urinary tract, she confirmed that ABC transporters were essential for infection.

From Science Daily

Schiller explains the process involved using agar plates with a consistency that allowed the cells to swim through it, creating visible halos.

From Science Daily

They developed a straightforward experimental setup in which a microbial colony, a form of biofilm, was grown on agar and directly pressed onto an electrode to assess its electrical conductivity.

From Science Daily

To identify the animals with mutations that made them fertile again, the researchers put the nematodes on agar plates filled with yummy bacteria.

From Science Daily