amanita

noun

am·​a·​ni·​ta ˌa-mə-ˈnī-tə  -ˈnē- 

: any of a genus (Amanita) of white-spored basidiomycetous fungi that typically have a volva and an annulus about the stipe and include some deadly poisonous forms

Illustration of amanita

Examples of amanita in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Death cap mushrooms earned their name because of their amanita toxins, which cause organ failure within days of consumption. — Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 7 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, genus name, borrowed from Greek amānîtai, plural, "a kind of fungus," of uncertain origin

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for amanita

• cucurbita
• emerita
• incognita
• manzanita
• senorita
• amrita
• excreta
• lolita
• marita
• partita
• samhita
• cheetah

Kids Definition

amanita

noun

am·​a·​ni·​ta ˌam-ə-ˈnīt-ə  -ˈnēt- 

: any of various mostly poisonous fungi with white spores and a globe-shaped swelling about the base of the stem

Medical Definition

amanita

noun

am·​a·​ni·​ta ˌam-ə-ˈnīt-ə  -ˈnēt- 

1

capitalized : a genus of widely distributed white-spored basidiomycetous fungi (family Amanitaceae) that includes some deadly poisonous forms (as the death cap)

2

: a fungus of the genus Amanita