fungal

American  

[fuhng-guhl] / ˈfʌŋ gəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or caused by a fungus or fungi.

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fungal British  

/ ˈfʌŋɡəl /

adjective

1. of, derived from, or caused by a fungus or fungi

   fungal spores

   a fungal disease

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Other Word Forms

• antifungal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of fungal

First recorded in 1825–35; from New Latin fungālis; see fungus, -al ¹

Explanation

Fungal things have something to do with a fungus, or an organism that produces spores. The most familiar fungal species are mushrooms. Yeasts and molds are fungal, and if you see a mildewed area on the wall of your shower, you can say, "Will someone please clean this fungal mess?" The fungal organisms that bear fruit are mushrooms, which you might think of as plants but which really exist in an entirely separate category from plants and animals. Fungal and fungus both come from the Latin, with the probable Greek root sphongos, "sponge."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fungal

The project offers the most detailed global view yet of Earth's fungal infrastructure.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 15, 2026

They then used machine-learning models that incorporated environmental data from deserts, tundra, forests, and other ecosystems to predict fungal network density in regions where direct measurements were unavailable.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 15, 2026

"Traditionally, researchers would go through undigested material in scats to study animal diets, but trying to identify fungal spores remained a challenge," Ms. Quah said.

From Science Daily ● May 20, 2026

The Mojave Desert is under-explored, and the organization’s maps predict it to be rich in fungal diversity.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026

My white T-shirt glowed in the twilight, banded in modern art speckles of fungal reds, yellows, and blues.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer