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toadstool

noun

toad·​stool ˈtōd-ˌstül How to pronounce toadstool (audio)
: a fungus having an umbrella-shaped pileus : mushroom
especially : a poisonous or inedible one as distinguished from an edible mushroom

Examples of toadstool 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.
The motifs appear everywhere: rows of toadstools atop the fireplace’s stone mantel; scientific illustrations mounted in thin wood frames on the walls; a set of upholstered ottomans in the shape of spotted, red-capped fly agarics—psychedelic perches fit for Alice’s Wonderland. Laura May Todd, Architectural Digest, 6 Nov. 2025 Enhance the woodland theme with toadstool napkin ties by covering wood mushrooms in crepe paper. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025 As toadstools began to grow inside the empty building, Congress was left to consider whether to demolish or preserve it. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025 Trek through the heart of the namesake toadstools and other unique badlands formations by setting out on the one-mile Toadstool Loop. Brian Higgins, Outside Online, 20 May 2025 Archaeologists discovered the true identity of two shipwrecks in shallow waters off Cahuita National Park, on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast, that were long thought to be pirate ships. — Perhaps a toadstool house isn’t just a fairy tale. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 4 May 2025 The Smurfs land looks like a series of gigantic toadstools which are where the blue characters live in the cartoon. Caroline Reid, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025 One of the elder members appears to be in charge of testing the local berries and mushrooms for possible toxins—an alluring, comically cartoonish red-and-white toadstool ultimately leads to trouble. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024 And the entire kingdoms of plants and fungi are barely featured at all; fungi only have a single representative toadstool. Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 2 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of toadstool was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Toadstool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toadstool. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

toadstool

noun
toad·​stool -ˌstül How to pronounce toadstool (audio)
: a fungus that has an umbrella-shaped cap : mushroom
especially : one that is poisonous or unfit for food

Medical Definition

toadstool

noun
toad·​stool -ˌstül How to pronounce toadstool (audio)
: a fungus having an umbrella-shaped pileus : mushroom
especially : a poisonous or inedible one as distinguished from an edible mushroom

More from Merriam-Webster on toadstool

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