Word
fungus
Phoneticsfun·gus, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfəŋɡəs/
UK/fˈʌŋɡəs/
Definitions
01biological organism
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Science
n. a type of living thing like a mushroom or yeast that grows on plants, animals, or old food.
n. any member of the kingdom Fungi, characterized by chitin cell walls and a lack of chlorophyll; includes both unicellular and multicellular organisms.
“The damp wood in the garden was covered in a strange orange fungus.”
“Biologists discovered a rare species of fungus that thrives in the extreme conditions of the rainforest floor, breaking down organic matter with remarkable speed.”
Pitfall
There were many funguses on the tree.
There were many fungi on the tree.
While 'funguses' is technically correct, the Latin plural 'fungi' is much more common in both scientific and everyday English.
02medical growth
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Medicine Archaic · Technical
n. a soft, spongy growth that sometimes forms on a wound or skin.
n. a spongy, abnormal excrescence, such as excessive granulation tissue formed during the healing of a wound.
“The old medical book described a fungus growing over the patient's injury.”
“The surgeon noted the presence of a morbid fungus around the edges of the incision, a term used in nineteenth-century texts to describe proud flesh.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Every animal, plant, and fungus around us today is eukaryotic.” “Her team’s results , now presented in a peer-reviewed research paper , showed she was right in her hunch that the fungus could be used in the fight against the armyworms.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin fungus (“mushroom”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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