ˌsaprəˈlegnēə noun
Etymology: New Latin, from sapr- + Greek legnon border + New Latin -ia
1. capitalized : a genus (the type of the family Saprolegniaceae of the order Saprolegniales) of fungi having a stout tubular multinucleate much-branched thallus without constrictions, producing, dimorphic zoospores, growing in water chiefly on plant debris and animal remains, and including one form ( S. ferax ) that attacks living fish, tadpoles, and spawn and causes the white fungus disease
2. -s : any fungus of the genus Saprolegnia