duckweed

Meaning

Any of several reduced floating aquatic plants in the subfamily Lemnoideae of the family Araceae.

Synonyms

seaweed

moss

lichen

precarious

purslane

floating weed

rootless person

Lemnaceae

akulikuli-kula

garden purslane

musci

wolffia

common purslane

common duckweed

little hogweed

little-hogweed

pig weed

pursley

pusley

alga

lemna polyrhiza L

algae

Translations

Wasserlinse

Entengrütze

Lemna

lentille d’eau

lenticule

Wolffia

Lemnaceae

Seegras

canillée

Lemnaceae

wolffia

lemna

Lemnaceae

algue

Etymology

Cognate with Middle English: dokemete

In summary

From duck + weed. Supposedly so-named for often being consumed by ducks and other waterfowl. Compare Middle English dokemete (“duckweed”, literally “duck-food”).