algae
Algae are tiny plants that live in water.
You probably won't eat algae for breakfast, but they play an important role in our lives. Algae grow in ponds and lakes, helping to clean the water by using up extra nutrients that could harm fish or other animals. In fact, some kinds of algae even produce oxygen as a byproduct, making them like underwater factories. You might also see algae on rocks or on boats after a day at the beach - they tend to grow in any damp spot and can leave behind an unsightly green film.
How common is "algae"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
Any of many aquatic photosynthetic organisms, including the seaweeds, whose size ranges from a single cell to giant kelps and whose biochemistry and forms are very diverse, some being eukaryotic.
noun
Algal organisms viewed collectively or as a mass; algal growth.
Real examples of "algae" in context
