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.

Etymology

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

Common Phrases and Expressions

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.

Related Words

Slang Meanings

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.