Irish moss

noun

a purplish-brown, cartilaginous seaweed, Chondrus crispus, of the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America.
Also called carrageen, carragheen.

Origin of Irish moss

First recorded in 1835–45

Definition for carragheen (2 of 2)

carrageen

or car·ra·gheen

[ kar-uh-geen ]
/ ˈkær əˌgin /

noun

Irish moss.

Origin of carrageen

First recorded in 1825–35; named after Carrageen in SE Ireland

British Dictionary definitions for carragheen (1 of 2)

Irish moss

noun

another name for carrageen

British Dictionary definitions for carragheen (2 of 2)

carrageen

carragheen or carageen

/ (ˈkærəˌɡiːn) /

noun

an edible red seaweed, Chondrus crispus, of North America and N Europe Also called: Irish moss

Word Origin for carrageen

C19: from Carragheen, near Waterford, Ireland, where it is plentiful