fungal
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- antifungal adjective
Etymology
Origin of fungal
First recorded in 1825–35; from New Latin fungālis; see fungus, -al 1
Explanation
Fungal things have something to do with a fungus, or an organism that produces spores. The most familiar fungal species are mushrooms. Yeasts and molds are fungal, and if you see a mildewed area on the wall of your shower, you can say, "Will someone please clean this fungal mess?" The fungal organisms that bear fruit are mushrooms, which you might think of as plants but which really exist in an entirely separate category from plants and animals. Fungal and fungus both come from the Latin, with the probable Greek root sphongos, "sponge."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Trees colonized by golden oyster mushrooms contained far fewer fungal species, and the overall mix of fungi was altered compared to unaffected trees.
From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026
But there’s plenty of drama also in the everyday lives of flowers, their interactions with crafty insects and hungry birds, with neighbors in the meadow or the forest, with fungal networks in the ground.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
Professor Rod Fensham, a botanist at the University of Queensland, said urgent action is needed to prevent the species Rhodamnia zombi from disappearing due to the fungal disease known as myrtle rust.
From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026
His widow Louise has claimed there were a number of failings in his care and that she only discovered he had an aspergillus fungal infection after his death.
From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026
“Feet with roots, that’s called a fungal infection,” Poet told the wandering boy.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.