What does "laver" mean?
A red alga/seaweed, Porphyra umbilicalis (syn. Porphyra laciniata), eaten as a vegetable.
Laver
/ˈlɑːvə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A red alga/seaweed, Porphyra umbilicalis (syn. Porphyra laciniata), eaten as a vegetable.
- Grammar: laver is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ablution bowl, basin, cleanse, font.
- Useful contrasts: contaminate, dirty, soil.
- Usage evidence: In 2015, Novak Djokovic of Serbia became the third man in the Open Era of tennis (starting in 1968), after Rod Laver and Roger Federer, to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a single year.
How to use "laver"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "laver" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "laver" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "laver" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "laver" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "laver" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ablution bowl" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "laver", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A red alga/seaweed, Porphyra umbilicalis (syn. Porphyra laciniata), eaten as a vegetable. countable, uncountable
"To roast a leg, haunch, or saddle of mutton. […] A modern refinement is to put laver in the dripping-pan, which, in basting, imparts a high gout; or a large saddle may be served over a pound and a half of laver, stewed in brown sauce with catsup and seasonings."
- 2 Where one laves, a washroom, particularly a lavatorium, the washing area in a monastery.
- 3 One who laves: a washer.
- 4 seaweed with edible translucent crinkly green fronds wordnet
- 5 Other seaweeds similar in appearance or use, especially countable, uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 That which laves, particularly a washbasin.
"Infinit streames continually did well / Out of this fountaine, sweet and faire to see, / The which into an ample lauer fell […]"
- 7 edible red seaweeds wordnet
- 8 Other seaweeds similar in appearance or use, especially:; Porphyra vulgaris countable, uncountable
- 9 (Old Testament) large basin used by a priest in an ancient Jewish temple to perform ritual ablutions wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Anglo-Norman.
- 2 A village in Iran, known for its Kerman carpets.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"In 2015, Novak Djokovic of Serbia became the third man in the Open Era of tennis (starting in 1968), after Rod Laver and Roger Federer, to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a single year."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "laver"?
Common synonyms include: ablution bowl, basin, cleanse, font, french irriguer, lave.
How do you use "laver" in a sentence?
In 2015, Novak Djokovic of Serbia became the third man in the Open Era of tennis (starting in 1968), after Rod Laver and Roger Federer, to reach all four Grand Slam finals in a single year.
How do you pronounce "laver"?
Pronounced /ˈlɑːvə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English laver, lavre, lever, levre, laber (“a kind of water plant”), from Old English læfer, leber (“a rush (plant)”), a borrowing from Latin laver (“water plant”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English laver, lavour, from Old French laveoir, laveor, laveour, lavor, lavur, from Latin lavātōrium. Doublet of lavatorium and lavatory.
Etymology 3
From lave + -er.
Etymology 4
Occupational surname for a washerman, from Anglo-Norman laver.