fungus
Other forms: fungi; funguses
Is there a fungus among us? A fungus is a simple organism that's not an animal or a plant. A delicious mushroom is one kind of fungus, while another type of fungus causes nasty infections.
The plural of fungus is fungi, so when you order a pizza you can request it "with extra fungi" if you like. Mold, yeast, and mildew are all types of fungi, and there are plenty of edible fungi as well, including truffles and portobello mushrooms. While a fungus may look like a plant, it doesn't go through photosynthesis like plants do and it reproduces through spores.
Definitions of fungus
-
an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytiatypes:Claviceps purpurea, ergota fungus that infects various cereal plants forming compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many grains of the plant; source of medicinally important alkaloids and of lysergic acidXylaria polymorpha, dead-man's-fingers, dead-men's-fingersthe fruiting bodies of the fungi of the genus Xylariasclerotiniaany fungus of the genus Sclerotinia; some causing brown rot diseases in plantsearthball, false truffle, hard-skinned puffball, puffballany of various fungi of the genus Scleroderma having hard-skinned subterranean fruiting bodies resembling trufflesstalked puffballmushroom of the genus Tulostoma that resembles a puffballfalse truffleany of various fungi of the family Rhizopogonaceae having subterranean fruiting bodies similar to the truffleslime mold, slime moulda naked mass of protoplasm having characteristics of both plants and animals; sometimes classified as protoctistspond-scum parasitean aquatic fungus of genus Synchytriaceae that is parasitic on pond scumSaprolegnia ferax, white fungusa fungus that attacks living fish and tadpoles and spawn causing white fungus disease: a coating of white hyphae on especially peripheral parts (as fins)white rustfungus causing a disease characterized by a white powdery mass of conidiapythiumany fungus of the genus PythiumPhytophthora citrophthoracauses brown rot gummosis in citrus fruitsPhytophthora infestansfungus causing late blight in solanaceous plants especially tomatoes and potatoesPlasmodiophora brassicae, clubroot fungusa fungus resembling slime mold that causes swellings or distortions of the roots of cabbages and related plantsearth-ball, earthnut, tartufo, truffleany of various highly prized edible subterranean fungi of the genus Tuber; grow naturally in southwestern Europecoral fungusany of numerous fungi of the family Clavariaceae often brightly colored that grow in often intricately branched clusters like coraltooth fungusa fungus of the family Hydnaceaelichenany thallophytic plant of the division Lichenes; occur as crusty patches or bushy growths on tree trunks or rocks or bare ground etc.true fungusany of numerous fungi of the division EumycotaChinese black mushroom, Lentinus edodes, Oriental black mushroom, golden oak mushroom, shiitake, shiitake mushroomedible east Asian mushroom having a golden or dark brown to blackish cap and an inedible stipeLentinus lepideus, scaly lentinusa fungus with a scaly cap and white flesh and a ring on the stalk (with scales below the ring); odor reminiscent of licoriceCorticium salmonicolor, pink disease fungusfungus causing pink disease in citrus and coffee and rubber trees etcPellicularia filamentosa, Rhizoctinia solani, potato fungusfungus causing a disease in potatoes characterized by black scurfy spots on the tubersPellicularia koleroga, coffee fungusfungus causing a disease in coffee and some other tropical plantsVolvaria bombycinaa parasite on various treessac fungusany of various ascomycetous fungi in which the spores are formed in a sac or ascusascomycete, ascomycetous fungusany fungus of the class Ascomycetes (or subdivision Ascomycota) in which the spores are formed inside an ascusyeastany of various single-celled fungi that reproduce asexually by budding or divisionAspergillus fumigatusa mold causing aspergillosis in birds and manThielavia basicola, brown root rot fungusfungus causing brown root rot in plants of the pea and potato and cucumber familiesWynnea americanaa fungus composed of several apothecia that look like elongated rabbit ears; the sterile surface is dark brown and warty; the fertile surface is smooth and pinkish orangeWynnea sparassoidesa fungus with a long solid stalk embedded in soil and a yellow-brown head shaped like a cauliflowerfalse morela fungus of the family Helvellaceaelorchela large fungus of the family Helvellaceaegyromitraany fungus of the genus Gyromitrapuffball, true puffballany of various fungi of the family Lycoperdaceae whose round fruiting body discharges a cloud of spores when matureearthstarany fungus of the family Geastraceae; in form suggesting a puffball whose outer peridium splits into the shape of a starRadiigera fuscoglebaa fungus similar to an earthstar except that it does not open up; the spore mass is brown at maturity with a column of sterile tissue extending up into itbird's-nest fungusany of various fungi of the family Nidulariaceae having a cup-shaped body containing several egg-shaped structure enclosing the sporesGastrocybe lateritiaa species of Gastrocybe fungus that has a conic cap and a thin stalk; at first the stalk is upright but as it matures the stalk bends over and then downward; the cap then gelatinizes and a slimy mass containing the spores falls to the ground as the stalk collapsesMacowanites americanusa small fungus with a fragile cap that cracks to expose the white context and a white stalk that is practically enclosed by the capGastroboletus scabrosusa dingy yellow brown fungus with a rough stalk that superficially resembles a boleteGastroboletus turbinatusa fungus with a cap that can vary from red to dark brown; superficially resembles a boleteGrifola frondosa, Polyporus frondosus, hen of the woods, hen-of-the-woodslarge greyish-brown edible fungus forming a mass of overlapping caps that somewhat resembles a hen at the base of treesboleteany fungus of the family Boletaceaejelly fungusany fungus of the order Tremellales or Auriculariales whose fruiting body is jellylike in consistency when freshSeptobasidium pseudopedicellatum, felt fungusfungus that frequently encircles twigs and branches of various trees especially citrus trees in southern United Statesmold, moulda fungus that produces a superficial growth on various kinds of damp or decaying organic mattermildewa fungus that produces a superficial (usually white) growth on organic matterverticilliuma fungus of the genus Verticilliummoniliaany of the yeastlike imperfect fungi of the genus Moniliacandidaany of the yeastlike imperfect fungi of the genus Candidablastomyceteany of various yeastlike budding fungi of the genus Blastomyces; cause disease in humans and other animalsdry rota fungus causing dry rotrhizoctiniaany fungus now or formerly belonging to the form genus Rhizoctiniapowdery mildewany of various fungi of the genus Erysiphe producing powdery conidia on the host surfacerye ergota sclerotium or hardened mass of myceliumbrown cupa variety of sclerotiniaScleroderma aurantium, Scleroderma citrinuman earthball fungus that is a dingy brownish yellow and a dark purplish interior; the peridium is covered with a pattern of small wartsScleroderma flavidium, star earthballan earthball with a smooth upper surface that is at first buried in sand; the top of the fruiting body opens up to form segments like the ray of an umbelScleroderma bovista, smooth earthballan earthball with a peridium that is firm dry and smooth when young but developing cracks when mature; pale orange-yellow when young and reddish brown at maturityPodaxaceaea variety of gastromyceteRhizopogon idahoensisa large whitish Rhizopogon that becomes greyish brown in maturityTruncocolumella citrinaa fungus with a round yellow to orange fruiting body that is found on the surface of the ground or partially buried; has a distinctive sterile column extending into the spore-bearing tissuemucorany mold of the genus Mucorrhizopusany of various rot causing fungi of the genus Rhizopusacellular slime mold, myxomycete, plasmodial slime mold, true slime molda slime mold of the class Myxomycetescellular slime molddiffering from true slime molds in being cellular and nucleate throughout the life cyclewater moldparasitic or saprobic organisms living chiefly in fresh water or moist soildowny mildew, false mildewany of various fungi of the family Peronosporaceae parasitic on e.g. grapes and potatoes and melonsGeglossaceaea type of ascomycetous fungusSarcosomataceaea type of ascomycetous fungusclub fungusa club-shaped coral fungusascolichena lichen in which the fungus component is an ascomycetebasidiolichena lichen in which the fungus component is a basidiomycetelecanoraany lichen of the genus Lecanora; some used in dyeing; some used for foodhorsehair lichen, horsetail lichenany of several lichens of the genus Alectoria having a thallus consisting of filaments resembling hairCladonia rangiferina, arctic moss, reindeer lichen, reindeer mossan erect greyish branching lichen of Arctic and even some north temperate regions constituting the chief food for reindeer and caribou and sometimes being eaten by humanscrotal, crottal, crottleany of several lichens of the genus Parmelia from which reddish brown or purple dyes are madeCetraria islandica, Iceland lichen, Iceland mosslichen with branched flattened partly erect thallus that grows in mountainous and Arctic regions; used as a medicine or food for humans and livestock; a source of glycerolmushroomany of various fleshy fungi of the subdivision Basidiomycota consisting of a cap at the end of a stem arising from an underground myceliumagarica saprophytic fungus of the order Agaricales having an umbrellalike cap with gills on the undersidegill fungusa basidiomycete with gillshelvellaany fungus of the genus Helvella having the ascocarps stalked or pleated or often in foldsdiscinaany fungus of the genus DiscinaCalifornia false morel, Gyromitra californicaa gyromitra with a brown puffed up fertile part and a thick fluted stalk; found under conifers in CaliforniaGyromitra sphaerospora, round-spored gyromitraa gyromitra with a brown puffed up fertile part and a rosy pink fluted stalk and smooth round spores; found on hardwood slash east of the Great PlainsGyromitra esculenta, beefsteak morel, brain mushrooma poisonous gyromitra; the surface of the fertile body is smooth at first and becomes progressively undulating and wrinkled (but never truly pitted); color varies from dull yellow to brownGyromitra infula, saddled-shaped false morela poisonous fungus; saddle-shaped and dull yellow to brown fertile part is relatively evenGyromitra brunnea, Gyromitra fastigiataa lorchel with deep brownish red fertile part and white stalkGyromitra gigasa gyromitra with a large irregular stalk and fertile part that is yellow to brown and wrinkled; has early fruiting timePhallus impudicus, common stinkhorna common fungus formerly used in preparing a salve for rheumatismPhallus raveneliithis stinkhorn has a cap with a granulose surface at the apex and smells like decaying fleshMutinus caninus, dog stinkhorna stinkhorn having a stalk without a cap; the slimy gleba is simply plastered on its surface near the apex where winged insects can find itCalostoma lutescensa gasteromycete with a leathery stalk and a fruiting body that is globose and has a pale yellow spore caseCalostoma cinnabarinaa gasteromycete with a leathery stalk and a fruiting body this globose and has a red spore caseCalostoma raveneliia gasteromycete with a leathery stalk and a fruiting body with a thin gelatinous spore case and elliptical sporesPseudocolus fusiformis, stinky squida stinkhorn of genus Pseudocolus; the fruiting body first resembles a small puffball that soon splits open to form a stalk with tapering arms that arch and taper to a common pointCalvatia gigantea, giant puffballhuge edible puffball up to 2 feet diameter and 25 pounds in weightGeastrum coronatuman earthstar with a bluish spore sac and a purplish brown gleba; at maturity the outer layer splits into rays that bend backward and elevate the spore sacAstreus pteridisthe largest earthstar; the fruiting body can measure 15 cm across when the rays are expandedAstreus hygrometricusa common species of earthstar widely distributed in sandy soil; the gleba is a pale tanpolypore, pore fungus, pore mushroomwoody pore fungi; any fungus of the family Polyporaceae or family Boletaceae having the spore-bearing surface within tubes or pores; the fruiting bodies are usually woody at maturity and persistentBoletus chrysenterona fungus convex cap and a dingy yellow under surface and a dry stalkBoletus edulisan edible and choice fungus; has a convex cap that is slightly viscid when fresh and moist but soon dries and a thick bulbous tan stalkBoletus luridusa poisonous fungus with a dingy yellow cap and orange red undersurface and a cylindrical reticulate stalkBoletus mirabilisa fungus that is edible when young and fresh; has a dark brown convex cap with a yellow to greenish under surface and reddish stalkBoletus pallidusa fungus that has an off-white cap when it is young but later becomes dingy brown and a stalk of the same color; the under surface of the cap (the tubes) a pale greenish yellowBoletus pulcherrimusa beautiful but poisonous bolete; has a brown cap with a scarlet pore surface and a thick reticulate stalkBoletus pulverulentusan edible fungus with a broadly convex blackish brown cap and a pore surface that is yellow when young and darkens with age; stalk is thick and enlarges toward the baseBoletus roxanaea fungus with a rusty red cap and a white pore surface that becomes yellow with age and a pale yellow stalkBoletus subvelutipesa fungus with a velvety stalk and usually a dingy brown cap; injured areas turn blue instantlyBoletus variipesan edible (but not choice) fungus found on soil under hardwoods; has a dry convex cap with whitish under surface and a reticulate stalkBoletus zellerian edible and choice fungus that has a brown cap with greenish yellow under surface and a stalk that become dull red with ageFuscoboletinus palusteran edible fungus with a pinkish purple cap and stalk and a pore surface that is yellow with large angular pores that become like gills in maturityFuscoboletinus serotinusan edible fungus with a broadly convex brown cap and a whitish pore surface and stalkLeccinum fibrillosuman edible fungus with a dark reddish brown cap and a wide light tan stalk that expands toward the basePhylloporus boletinoidesa fungus with a broadly convex brown cap and pores that extend part way down the stalkSuillus albivelatusa short squat edible fungus with a reddish brown cap and white stalk; fruits under pines in the springStrobilomyces floccopus, old-man-of-the-woodsedible mild-tasting mushroom found in coniferous woodlands of eastern North AmericaBoletellus russelliia fungus with a long coarsely shaggy reticulate stalk and a rimose areolate cap surfaceTremella fuciformis, snow mushroompopular in China and Japan and Taiwan; gelatinous mushrooms; most are driedTremella foliaceaa jelly fungus with a fruiting body 5-15 cm broad and gelatinous in consistency; resembles a bunch of leaf lettuce; mostly water and brownish in colorTremella reticulataa jelly fungus with an erect whitish fruiting body and a highly variable shape (sometimes resembling coral fungi)Auricularia auricula, Jew's-ear, Jew's-ears, ear funguswidely distributed edible fungus shaped like a human ear and growing on decaying woodCronartium ribicola, blister rustfungus causing white pine blister rust and having a complex life cycle requiring a plant of genus Ribes as alternate hostGymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae, apple rust, cedar-apple rustrust fungus causing rust spots on apples and pears etccovered smuta smut fungus causing a smut disease of grains in which the spore masses are covered or held together by the grain membranesloose smuta smut fungus of the genus Ustilago causing a smut disease of grains in which the entire head is transformed into a dusty mass of sporesSphacelotheca reiliana, head smutsmut fungus attacking heads of corn or sorghum and causing a covered smutTilletia caries, buntfungus that destroys kernels of wheat by replacing them with greasy masses of smelly sporesUrocystis cepulae, onion smutsmut fungus causing blackish blisters on scales and leaves of onions; especially destructive to seedlingsflag smut fungusa smut fungus causing a smut in cereals and other grasses that chiefly affects leaves and stems and is characterized chains of sori within the plant tissue that later rupture releasing black masses of sporesCandida albicans, Monilia albicansa parasitic fungus that can infect the mouth or the skin or the intestines or the vagina
Pronunciation
US
UK
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fungus'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
