Home › Words › S › sphagnumsphagnum/ˈsfæɡnəm/sphagnum means any of various widely distributed mosses, of genus Sphagnum, which slowly decompose to form peat.sphagnum is pronounced /ˈsfæɡnəm/.EtymologyBorrowed from translingual Sphagnum, which is from Ancient Greek σφάγνος (sphágnos).nounAny of various widely distributed mosses, of genus Sphagnum, which slowly decompose to form peat.e.g.“[T]he ground up here is waterlogged and riddled with potholes, holes beneath the spongy coral fern, hidden holes throughout the sphagnum.” — 1999, Julia Leigh, The Hunter, Faber & Faber 2012, p. 32Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).