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fungal

adjective
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fun·​gal | \ ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio) \

Definition of fungal

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 The fungus burrows into the cicada through an orifice (any orifice) and slowly takes over, eating away at healthy tissue and replacing it with fungal matter. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "2020 was the year of scary bugs, and 2021 will be even worse," 30 Dec. 2020 Is this a normal seasonal event or something more nefarious like a fungal issue? — oregonlive, "Need help hiding new neighbor’s big concrete wall? Ask an expert," 27 Dec. 2020 But the forest ecosystem is supported by mycorrhizal networks: an underground fungal web through which trees exchange carbon, water, and nutrients and communicate with one another. — Cheri Lucas Rowlands, Longreads, "On Trees as Social Creatures and Fungi as the ‘Fabric of the Forest’," 10 Dec. 2020 There is some great eating out there in the fungal world, and some of the best-tasting mushrooms are also quite safe, with no or few poisonous look-alikes. — Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, "The 7 Safest Mushrooms to Forage and Eat," 7 Dec. 2020 At the same time, fire ants have their own fungal woes. — Jennifer Frazer, Scientific American, "If It Smells like Dirt, Fire Ants Are Interested," 21 Nov. 2020 In May, Norway’s government dedicated roughly $1.5 million USD toward excavating the Gjellestad ship—a time-sensitive project, as the vessel’s wooden structure is threatened by severe fungal attacks. — Nora Mcgreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, "Researchers Excavating Norwegian Viking Ship Burial Find Remnants of Elite Society," 12 Nov. 2020 Consuming a large piece of wood can be the work of years for a mass of fungal fibers, called a mycelium. — Beth Botts, chicagotribune.com, "Mushrooms are a healthy sign in your lawn — but can mean trouble on a tree," 18 Oct. 2020 The fabric is derived from mycelium—the threadlike roots that connect vast fungal blooms. — Eamon Barrett, Fortune, "The world’s fossil fuel giants are missing global targets on climate change," 8 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fungal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of fungal

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Time Traveler for fungal

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The first known use of fungal was in 1842

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Statistics for fungal

Last Updated

8 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Fungal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fungal. Accessed 16 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for fungal

fungal

adjective
How to pronounce fungal (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of fungal

: of, relating to, or caused by a fungus

See the full definition for fungal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fungal

adjective
fun·​gal | \ ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio) \
variants: or fungous \ -​gəs \

Kids Definition of fungal

: of, relating to, or caused by a fungus a fungal infection

fungal

adjective
fun·​gal | \ ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio) \

Medical Definition of fungal

1 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of fungi
2 : caused by a fungus fungal infections

More from Merriam-Webster on fungal

Nglish: Translation of fungal for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of fungal for Arabic Speakers

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