fauna

noun

fau·​na ˈfȯ-nə How to pronounce fauna (audio)
ˈfä-
plural faunas also faunae ˈfȯ-ˌnē How to pronounce fauna (audio) -ˌnī How to pronounce fauna (audio)
ˈfä-
: animal life
especially : the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment
the diverse fauna of the island
compare flora
faunal
ˈfȯ-nᵊl How to pronounce fauna (audio)
ˈfä-
adjective
faunally adverb

Did you know?

Faunus and Fauna were the Roman woodland god and goddess for whom animals were a particular concern. Faunus was the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Pan, and like Pan, he had goats' legs. Their goat-legged helpers, called fauns, were known for their love of pleasure and mischief. The fauna of a continent are often very similar across a broad east-west band; from north to south, however, they may vary greatly.

Examples of fauna in a Sentence

studying the diverse fauna of the island studying the faunas of different islands
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.
The flora and fauna, the natural and cultural resources inside of the park don't belong to any political party. Conor Knighton, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2025 Beck Harlan Pay close attention to the flora and fauna growing around you. Malaka Gharib, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025 Fish, swim, or paddle on Lake Shelby; study native flora and fauna at the nature center on Middle Lake; and enjoy the butterfly garden east of Little Lake. Casey Barber, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2025 Fresh water melting from the bottom of the iceberg could affect the local ocean environment and flora and fauna along the island's shoreline. Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fauna

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin Fauna, sister of Faunus

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fauna was in 1771

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fauna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fauna. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

fauna

noun
fau·​na ˈfȯn-ə How to pronounce fauna (audio)
ˈfän-
plural faunas also faunae -ˌē How to pronounce fauna (audio)
-ˌī
: animals or animal life especially of a region, period, or environment
faunal adjective

Medical Definition

fauna

noun
plural faunas also faunae -ˌē How to pronounce fauna (audio) -ˌī How to pronounce fauna (audio)
: animal life
especially : the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment compare flora sense 1
faunal adjective
faunally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on fauna

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