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

But there’s plenty of drama also in the everyday lives of flowers, their interactions with crafty insects and hungry birds, with neighbors in the meadow or the forest, with fungal networks in the ground.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Inspections revealed that some panels were already mouldy and there was a risk that any materials that had got wet could be harbouring fungal spores, according to internal reports seen by BBC News.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

These fatty acids interfere with fungal metabolism and block the production of proteins needed for tissue invasion and disease progression.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

The deaths of two unnamed children, a three-year-old and a 10-year-old boy who had a cryptococcus fungal infection listed as contributory factor, are also the subject of the police prosecution report.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

It’s the next afternoon and I’m hurrying down the grimy fungal hallway in Guillermo Garcia’s studio because no one came to the door when I knocked.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson