Agar

/ˈɑːɡɑːr/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A gelatinous substance obtained from certain algae, used as a solidifying agent in microbiological culture media and as a food thickener.

The microbiologist prepared the petri dish by pouring molten agar into it.

A jelly-like preparation made from agar-agar, used in sweets and desserts.

The dessert was beautifully molded into shapes using flavored agar.

A substance used in the culinary world as a vegetarian alternative to gelatin.

She used agar to create a vegan-friendly jelly for the party.

Derived from the Malay word 'agar-agar', referring to jelly.

agar plate

A dish made with agar used for culturing cells or microorganisms.

agarose gel

A gel formed from agar used in the electrophoresis of nucleic acids.

agar medium

A nutrient-rich medium containing agar used for growing microorganisms.

gelatin

A substance derived from collagen used for thickening and stabilizing.

carrageenan

A substance obtained from red seaweed used as a thickener in food products.

pectin

A natural thickening agent derived from fruit, used in jams and jellies.

A fun name for a tricky situation.

That project turned out to be a total agar!

Used humorously to describe a sticky or complicated mess.

This report is an agar; we need to clean it up.