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• fungi
  fungi

  plural noun

  a plural of fungus.
• Fungi
  Fungi

  noun

  a taxonomic kingdom, or in some classification schemes a division of the kingdom Plantae, comprising all the fungus groups and sometimes also the slime molds.
• fungi-
  fungi-

  a combining form representing fungus in compound words.

fungi

¹ American  

[fuhn-jahy, fuhng-gahy] / ˈfʌn dʒaɪ, ˈfʌŋ gaɪ /

plural noun

1. a plural of fungus.

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Fungi ² American  

[fuhn-jahy, fuhng-gahy] / ˈfʌn dʒaɪ, ˈfʌŋ gaɪ /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. a taxonomic kingdom, or in some classification schemes a division of the kingdom Plantae, comprising all the fungus groups and sometimes also the slime molds.

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fungi- ³ American  

1. a combining form representing fungus in compound words.

   fungicide.

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fungi- ¹ British  

combining form

1. fungus

   fungicide

   fungoid

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fungi ² British  

/ ˈfʌndʒaɪ, ˈfʌndʒɪ, ˈfʌŋɡaɪ /

noun

1. a plural of fungus

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fungi Cultural  

1. sing. fungus Plantlike organisms lacking chlorophyll, such as mushrooms, molds, yeasts, and mildews. Modern biologists tend to place fungi in their own kingdom, not in the plant kingdom, because they get their nutrients from other living things (or from the remains of living things that have died) rather than from photosynthesis. (See under “Medicine and Health.”)

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Usage

What does fungi- mean? The combining form fungi- is used like a prefix meaning “fungus.” It is occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in biology. The form fungi- comes from Latin fungus, meaning “fungus.” It is possible that fungus is related to Greek spóngos, meaning "sponge," by way of a long-lost substrate language of the Mediterranean. What are variants of fungi-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, fungi- becomes fung-, as in fungemia.

Etymology

Origin of Fungi

From New Latin; see origin at fungus

Example Sentences

As well as snails and foxes, the trust is particularly keen for people to log sightings of rabbits, slow worms, fungi and butterfly varieties such as the Marbled White.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

While viral infections are the most common cause in the United States, bacteria, parasites and fungi can also cause the condition.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

Although it is an attractive and edible species, the golden oyster mushroom has demonstrated its ability to escape cultivation and establish itself in the wild, where it can outcompete native fungi.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

Their rich, sheltered microclimates are home to mosses, lichens, fungi and ferns, with some species rarely found outside the remaining fragments of Cumbrian woodland.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Without fungi to break things down, the earth would soon be covered with a blanket of dead plants and animals.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan