Meanings
- uncountableMarine blue-green algae (cyanobacteria, actually brown coloured) of the genus Trichodesmium.
1770, The Endeavour Journal of Sir Joseph Banks at Project Gutenberg Australia The seamen who are now convinc'd that it was not as they had thought the spawn of fish began to call it Sea sawdust, a name certainly not ill adapted to its appearance.
Origin
Coined by sailors on Captain James Cook's 1768-71 voyage (his first voyage) to the south seas and Australia.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
sea sawdust. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sea%20sawdust
“sea sawdust.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sea%20sawdust. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sea sawdust,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sea%20sawdust.
Source: sea sawdust on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.