fauna

noun

fau·​na ˈfȯ-nə 

ˈfä-

plural faunas also faunae ˈfȯ-ˌnē  -ˌnī 

ˈfä-

: animal life

especially : the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment

the diverse fauna of the island

compare flora

faunal

ˈfȯ-nᵊl 

ˈfä-

adjective

faunally adverb

Did you know?

Faunus and Fauna were the Roman woodland god and goddess for whom animals were a particular concern. Faunus was the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Pan, and like Pan, he had goats' legs. Their goat-legged helpers, called fauns, were known for their love of pleasure and mischief. The fauna of a continent are often very similar across a broad east-west band; from north to south, however, they may vary greatly.

Examples of fauna in a Sentence

studying the diverse fauna of the island

studying the faunas of different islands

Recent Examples on the Web

Responding to an ad in the newspaper puts Bernie in contact with Comer’s Araminta, a loner whose ultimate dream is to embalm a human body as the crown jewel of her taxidermy collection, which includes all sorts of fauna. — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026

Dillard’s work, though not exclusively about nature, often focused on the natural world, the cruelty and beauty of both flora and fauna, narrowing in on the extremity of the biological systems surrounding us. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026

There’s also a large bonus room on the lower floor that could function as a family room or lounge, and an office decked out with flora-and-fauna wallpaper. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2026

Darwin took pages of notes on the landscape and its flora and fauna, including mockingbirds, tortoises, finches, and swimming iguanas. — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 14, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin Fauna, sister of Faunus

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fauna

• ana
• bwana
• dhyana
• donna
• gonna
• jnana
• mana
• sauna
• tswana
• wanna
• asana
• chicana

Kids Definition

fauna

noun

fau·​na ˈfȯn-ə 

ˈfän-

plural faunas also faunae -ˌē 

-ˌī

: animals or animal life especially of a region, period, or environment

faunal

-ᵊl 

adjective

Medical Definition

fauna

noun

fau·​na ˈfȯn-ə, ˈfän- 

plural faunas also faunae -ˌē  -ˌī 

: animal life

especially : the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment compare flora sense 1

faunal

-ᵊl 

adjective

faunally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb