Definition

A jelly-like substance made from certain types of seaweed. It is often used in laboratories to grow bacteria and in food to help thicken or stabilize products.

Example

The scientist prepared the bacterial culture on an agar plate.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of agar before?

Yeah, I think it's used in cooking and science, right?

Exactly! It's that jelly-like substance from algae.

Right! I saw it used to make some desserts too.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Agar originates from the Malay word 'agar-agar', which refers to a gelatinous substance derived from red algae. It is used as a thickening agent in food and microbiological culture media.

Memory Tip

Think of the Malay word 'agar-agar' which means a gelatinous substance — this helps you remember that 'agar' is a thickening agent derived from algae.

Visually Confused Words