n.
Pronunciation: - ' si-l ē - ə m
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -lia \ -l ē - ə \
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin penicillus
Date: 1867
: any of a genus ( Penicillium ) of fungi (as a blue mold) that are found chiefly on moist nonliving organic matter (as decaying fruit) and have been grouped with the imperfect fungi but are now often placed with the ascomycetes