fungal

adjective

fun·​gal ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of fungi
2
: caused by a fungus
a fungal skin disease

Examples of fungal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the study, which was published in JAMA Oncology, researchers identified 27 types of bacterial and fungal species in the mouth’s microbiome that may contribute to the disease. Amy McGorry, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025 The Utah team is now seeking patent protection for its discovery, hoping to take fungal hydrogels from the lab to real-world biomedical applications. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025 Common Pests & Plant Diseases Camellias are susceptible to several fungal diseases, the most serious of which are flower blight, root rot, and camellia dieback and canker. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025 Adding to the concern, fungal infections were identified in nearly one in 10 cases—a rate far higher than typically reported in high-income countries. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fungal

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fungal was in 1842

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Cite this Entry

“Fungal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fungal. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

fungal

adjective
fun·​gal ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling fungi
2
: caused by a fungus
a fungal skin disease

Medical Definition

fungal

adjective
fun·​gal ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of fungi
2
: caused by a fungus
fungal infections

More from Merriam-Webster on fungal

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