Jump To:

• 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.

---

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.

---

fungi- ³ American  

1. a combining form representing fungus in compound words.

   fungicide.

---

fungi- ¹ British  

combining form

1. fungus

   fungicide

   fungoid

---

fungi ² British  

/ ˈfʌndʒaɪ, ˈfʌndʒɪ, ˈfʌŋɡaɪ /

noun

1. a plural of fungus

---

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.”)

---

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

Fungi and bacteria may spread unnoticed while reshaping the balance of life in forests.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026

This September, I dove into the universe of mycotourism myself at All Things Fungi, a celebration of mushrooms that’s been compared to the renowned Glastonbury music festival.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

The company provides the mushrooms for Real Mushrooms, an online sister firm that sells fungi supplements, and is a rival to Fungi Perfecti.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2025

“If this pledge is adopted by the CBD, it will introduce a new opportunity for decision-making, a new way of seeing,” Giuliana Furci, the Chilean-British chief executive of the Fungi Foundation, told The Guardian.

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2024

Fungi are an essential part of the life cycle on earth.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan