fauna

[faw-nuh]

noun, plural fau·nas, fau·nae [faw-nee] /ˈfɔ ni/.

the animals of a given region or period considered as a whole.

a treatise on the animals of a given region or period.

(initial capital letter) Roman Religion. Bona Dea.

Nearby words

Origin of fauna

1765–75; < New Latin, special use of Latin Fauna, a feminine counterpart to Faunus; cf. Flora

Related formsfau·nal, adjectivefau·nal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for faunal

Faunal relationships and geographic distribution of mammals in Sonora, Mexico.
A Synopsis of the North American Lagomorpha|E. Raymond Hall
Where two of the faunal realms meet there is usually, though not always, a mixing of faunas.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 6|Various
With over 125 illustrations from drawings by Philip R. Goodwin and from photographs, and with 40 faunal maps.
A Book-Lover's Holidays in the Open|Theodore Roosevelt
But two species of the genus are known within our faunal limits.
The Butterfly Book|William Jacob Holland

This diversity in the topography of the country afforded considerable variety in the faunal life of the region.
Our Bird Comrades|Leander S. (Leander Sylvester) Keyser

British Dictionary definitions for faunal

fauna

noun plural -nas or -nae (-niː)

all the animal life of a given place or time, esp when distinguished from the plant life (flora)

a descriptive list of such animals

Derived Formsfaunal, adjectivefaunally, adverb

Word Origin for fauna

C18: from New Latin, from Late Latin Fauna a goddess, sister of Faunus

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for faunal

faunal

adj.

1877, from fauna + -al (1).

fauna

1771, collective name for animals of a certain region or time, from Late Latin Fauna, a Roman fertility goddess, wife, sister, or daughter (or some combination thereof) of Faunus (see faun).

Popularized by Linnaeus, who adopted it as a companion word to flora and used it in the title of his 1746 catalogue of the animals of Sweden, "Fauna Suecica." First used in English by naturalist Gilbert White.

Medicine definitions for faunal