Definition

any of various large marine brown algae that are large seaweeds (order Laminariales) growing in cool waters //Only canopy-forming kelp are visible on the sea surface. — Glenn Scherer //Kelps grow fast, drawing on all the minerals and vitamins and nutrients they can from the watershed and the sun. — Zachariah Bryan //… thickets of kelp forming submarine forests in the bay. — Jeff Phillips
— see also bladder kelp, bull kelp, giant kelp
a mass or growth of large seaweeds //The kelp near the outer islands teems with marine plants and animals in far greater abundance than it does closer to the coast … — John L. Stein
a blade (see blade entry 1 sense 2e) of kelp that is usually dried and used as food (as in sushi or soups)
a dietary supplement containing processed kelp
the ashes of seaweed used formerly especially as a source of iodine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology

Middle English culp

kelp

noun

ˈkelp

plural kelps or kelp

any of various large marine brown algae that are large seaweeds (order Laminariales) growing in cool waters //Only canopy-forming kelp are visible on the sea surface. — Glenn Scherer //Kelps grow fast, drawing on all the minerals and vitamins and nutrients they can from the watershed and the sun. — Zachariah Bryan //… thickets of kelp forming submarine forests in the bay. — Jeff Phillips
— see also bladder kelp, bull kelp, giant kelp
a mass or growth of large seaweeds //The kelp near the outer islands teems with marine plants and animals in far greater abundance than it does closer to the coast … — John L. Stein
a blade (see blade entry 1 sense 2e) of kelp that is usually dried and used as food (as in sushi or soups)
a dietary supplement containing processed kelp
the ashes of seaweed used formerly especially as a source of iodine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology

Middle English culp