Phycology
/faɪˈkɒlədʒi/noun
The scientific study of algae.
Did you know?The word uses the ancient Greek term phŷkos for seaweed, while its competing name, algology, comes from Latin alga, showing how two classical languages named the same science.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
φῦκος (phŷkos)
“Seaweed or a marine alga”
Ancient Greek
Greek
-λογία (-logia)
“A study, account, or systematic body of knowledge”
19th Century
New Latin
phycologia
“The scientific study of algae, formed from Greek phŷkos plus -logia”
19th Century
English
phycology
“The study of algae”
Modern English
English
phycology
“The scientific discipline concerned with algae, including their biology, ecology, and classification”