Phyceae
/fɪˈsiː.iː/noun
A taxonomic name used for a group of algae, especially in older botanical classification.
Did you know?Phyceae ultimately comes from Greek phykos, meaning “seaweed” or “algae,” the same root behind several scientific plant names built from the ancient vocabulary of coastal life.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
φῦκος (phŷkos)
“seaweed, algae; also a reddish dye from seaweed”
Classical Latin
Latin
fucus
“seaweed; later also red dye and, by extension, face paint or cosmetic coloring”
18th–19th Century
New Latin
-phyceae
“a botanical suffix used in naming groups of algae”
Modern English
English
Phyceae
“a taxonomic group name for algae in older scientific classification”
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