noun
Uncommon
fauna
FAW-nuh
Fauna (noun) means the animals of a particular region, habitat, or time period, considered as a group. Example: “The rainforest is home to an incredible variety of fauna.”
noun
1
The animals of a particular region, habitat, or time period, considered as a group.
"Japanese waters also support a rich and diverse shark fauna, including the smallest known shark Squaliolus laticaudus, and the bizarre goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni."
— Richard Ellis, The Book of Sharks (1983)
"The rainforest is home to an incredible variety of fauna."
"The guide explained how the island's fauna differs from that of the mainland."
"Fossils show what kind of fauna lived here millions of years ago."
How to use fauna
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAll the animal life of a place, as opposed to its plant life.
Common mistake
Fauna refers to animals; flora refers to plants — the two are often paired but mean different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
flora and fauna
native fauna
local fauna
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Word forms
- Plural
- faunae, faunas, faunæ
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The rainforest is home to an incredible variety of _____.
Etymology
From New Latin fauna, named after Fauna, the Roman goddess of animals and fertility.
Related words
Rhymes for fauna
See all rhymes for fauna →Frequently asked questions
What does “fauna” mean?
The word “fauna” means the animals of a particular region, habitat, or time period, considered as a group. In plain terms, all the animal life of a place, as opposed to its plant life.
How do you pronounce “fauna”?
“Fauna” is pronounced FAW-nuh (/ˈfɔːnə/ in IPA).
How do you use “fauna” in a sentence?
Here is “fauna” used in a sentence: “The rainforest is home to an incredible variety of fauna.”
What part of speech is “fauna”?
“Fauna” is a noun.
Where does the word “fauna” come from?
The word “fauna” comes from New Latin. From New Latin fauna, named after Fauna, the Roman goddess of animals and fertility.
Is “fauna” a common word?
“Fauna” is an uncommon word in modern English.
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