foxfire

or fox-fire

[ foks-fahyuhr ]

noun

, Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.

1. organic luminescence, especially from certain fungi on decaying wood.
2. any of various fungi causing luminescence in decaying wood.

foxfire

/ ˈfɒksˌfaɪə /

noun

1. See bioluminescence
   a luminescent glow emitted by certain fungi on rotting wood See also bioluminescence

Word History and Origins

Origin of foxfire¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; fox, fire

Example Sentences

Are you still friends with your Foxfire co-star, Angelina Jolie?

From The Daily Beast

The Angel knelt beside his flower bed and recklessly tore up by the roots a big bunch of foxfire.

From Project Gutenberg

Suspicion glinted like foxfire in the cold green eyes beneath her puckered brows.

From Project Gutenberg

That that grows out of the foxfire in the swamp has its roots too far back in the inheritance of the race to be discounted.

From Project Gutenberg

These should have been far more terrifying than any foxfire.

From Project Gutenberg