/ ˈfʌŋgəs; NAmE / noun ( pl. fungi / ˈfʌŋgiː; NAmE ; -gaɪ; ˈfʌndʒaɪ/)
1.
[ C ] any plant without leaves, flowers or green colouring, usually growing on other plants or on decaying matter. Mushrooms and mildew are both fungi.
2.
[ U , C ] a covering of mould or a similar fungus, for example on a plant or wall :
fungus infections
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin , perhaps from Greek spongos , reinforced in Middle English by Old French esponge .