# agar vs agate

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### agar
*noun · IPA /ˈeɪ.ɡə/ · frequency rank #28,103*
A gelatinous substance obtained from red algae, especially Gracilaria species, used as a bacterial culture medium, in electrophoresis and as a food additive.

### agate
*noun · IPA /ˈæɡ.ɪt/ · frequency rank #36,422*
A semitransparent, uncrystallized silicate mineral and semiprecious stone, presenting various tints in the same specimen, with colors delicately arranged and often curved in parallel alternating dark and light stripes or bands, or blended in clouds; various authorities call it a variety of chalcedony, a variety of quartz, or a combination of the two.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/agar-vs-agate