conferva

UK: /kɒnˈfɜːvə/ US: (kon fûr′və)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•fer•va  (kon fûr′və), n., pl. -vae (-vē), -vas. 

1. Microbiology any simple filamentous green algae, many of which were formerly classified in the genus Conferva.

• Latin: a certain water plant supposed to heal wounds, akin to confervēre to grow together, heal (see con-, fervent)
• 1630–40;

con•fer′val, con•fer•vous  (kən fûr′vəs), adj.  con•fer•void  (kon fûr′void), adj., n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

conferva / kɒnˈfɜːvə/ noun ( -vae / -viː/, -vas)

1. any of various threadlike green algae, esp any of the genus Tribonema, typically occurring in fresh water

Etymology: 18th Century: from Latin: a water plant, from confervēre to grow together, heal, literally: to seethe, from fervēre to boil; named with reference to its reputed healing properties

conˈfervoid, conˈferval noun , adjective