LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

fungus

fungus m (genitive fungī)
Classical[ˈfʊŋ.ɡʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈfuŋ.ɡus]

Meaning

  1. masculinemushroom; fungus
  2. masculinefungal growth or infection
  3. masculinecandle-snuff
  4. derogatoryfigurativelymasculinedolt, idiot

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativefungusfungī
genitivefungīfungōrum
dativefungōfungīs
accusativefungumfungōs
ablativefungōfungīs
vocativefungefungī

fungus, i, m. for sfungus, kindred to σφόγγος, σπόγγος, the initial s suppressed as in fallo, fides, nurus, etc.; cf. funis, and v. the letter S.,
I. a mushroom, moril, fungus.
I. Lit.: satis esse nobis non magis hoc potis est quam imber fungo, Plaut. Stich. 5, 5, 33; Plin. 22, 23, 47, § 96; Hor. S. 2, 4, 20.—
II. Transf.
A. A soft-pated fellow, a dolt: stulti, stolidi, fatui, fungi, bardi, blenni, buccones, Plaut. Bacch. 5, 1, 2; so id. ib. 2, 3, 49; 4, 7, 23.—
B. A fungous excrescence on the human body, Tert. Spect. 23; cf.: fungo simile ulcus, Cels. 6, 18, 11.—On the olive-tree, Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 223.—
C. A collection of lamp-black on the wick of a candle or lamp, a candle-snuff, Verg. G. 1, 392.

Origins

Originally *sfungus. Along with Ancient Greek σπόγγος (spóngos, “sponge”, whence Latin spongia), σφόγγος (sphóngos), and Old Armenian սունկն (sunkn), likely a loanword from a non-Indo-European substrate language. Possibly also related to Georgian სოკო (soḳo), Tsez зикӏу (zik’u), Bezhta сакӏо (sakʼo), Moksha панга (panga) and Erzya панго (pango, “mushroom”). Linguists such as Kluge and Kroonen have suggested a connection to English swamp and its Germanic cognates.

Borrowings
  • Englishfungus
  • Frenchfonge
  • Frenchfongus
  • Frenchfungus
  • Portuguesefungo
  • Romanianfungă
  • Asturianfungu
  • Basqueonddo
  • Indonesianfungusfrom Dutch fungus
  • Irishfungas
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italianfungo
  • Neapolitanfungio
  • Sicilianfuncia
  • Sicilianfunciu
  • Venetanfongo
  • Venetanfonc
Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanfong
Ibero-Romance
  • Spanishhongofrom Old Spanish fongo
  • Aragonesefongo
  • Aragonesefrongo
  • Ladinofongofrom Old Spanish fongo
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friulianfonc
  • Friulianfong
Gallo-Italic
  • Emilianfónnż
  • Emilianfonz
  • Emilianfons
  • Ligurianfonzo
  • Lombardfons
  • Lombardfonz
  • Lombardfoncc
  • Lombardfonze
  • Piedmontesefons
  • Romagnolfons

In English words that came into English from fungus

  • fungusfungus
  • fungilliformfungus
  • fungousfungōsus
  • fungicfungus
  • funginfungus

Quick answers

What does fungus mean in Latin?
fungus, a noun, means “mushroom; fungus; fungal growth or infection”.
What is the genitive of fungus?
The genitive singular is fungī. fungus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce fungus?
In classical Latin, [ˈfʊŋ.ɡʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈfuŋ.ɡus].
Which English words come from fungus?
English words that go back to Latin fungus include fungus, fungilliform, fungic, fungin and fungous.