: animal life
especially
: the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment
the diverse fauna of the island
compare flora
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
Look up to see the colorful canvas panels, hand-painted by Rajasthani artists, showing off more of the local flora and fauna.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026
Walking with a purpose, with an expert who is passionate about flora and fauna, has made the adventure feel meaningful.
—Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
Whales, dolphins, sea lions and sea otters frolic in the waters around the park, while the islands provide a terrestrial habitat for super-rare flora and fauna species like the Torrey Pine and Island Fox.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Each of the rooms features luxurious, textured wallpaper from Arte and Mind the Gap in classic stripe patterns, while flora and fauna motifs line the walls.
—Oset Babür-Winter, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fauna
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026
Walking with a purpose, with an expert who is passionate about flora and fauna, has made the adventure feel meaningful.
—Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026
Whales, dolphins, sea lions and sea otters frolic in the waters around the park, while the islands provide a terrestrial habitat for super-rare flora and fauna species like the Torrey Pine and Island Fox.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Each of the rooms features luxurious, textured wallpaper from Arte and Mind the Gap in classic stripe patterns, while flora and fauna motifs line the walls.
—Oset Babür-Winter, Travel + Leisure, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fauna
Cite this Entry
“Fauna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fauna. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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Medical Definition
fauna
noun
fau·na
ˈfȯn-ə, ˈfän- 
: animal life
especially
: the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment compare flora sense 1
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