fungal

adjective

fun·​gal ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of fungi
2
: caused by a fungus
a fungal skin disease

Examples of fungal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From 2017 to 2022, 34% of cases of the fungal infection resulted in death, the CDC said. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Lawns experiencing heat stress are commonly overwatered, which can reduce the oxygen available to struggling roots and lead to fungal problems. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2026 And the fungal connection that Noël Bernard first discovered, the thread that enters the cells of the developing orchid, extends out of the cells and seeds and the roots and into the bark of the tree. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026 One of those conditions is tinea capitis, a fungal infection that Black women are at higher risk of developing. — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fungal

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fungal was in 1842

Rhymes for fungal

See All Rhymes for fungal

Browse Nearby Words

Fung
fungal
Fungales
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fungal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fungal. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

fungal

adjective
fun·​gal ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or resembling fungi
2
: caused by a fungus
a fungal skin disease

Medical Definition

fungal

adjective
fun·​gal ˈfəŋ-gəl How to pronounce fungal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of fungi
2
: caused by a fungus
fungal infections
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All