mushroom
MUHSH-room
Mushroom (noun) means the fleshy, umbrella-shaped fruiting body of certain fungi, often eaten as food. Example: “She fried the mushrooms in butter and garlic before adding them to the pasta.”
noun
1
The fleshy, umbrella-shaped fruiting body of certain fungi, often eaten as food.
"She fried the mushrooms in butter and garlic before adding them to the pasta."
"We found a large mushroom growing beneath the oak tree after the rain."
"Slice the mushrooms thinly and add them to the soup just before serving."
verb
1
To grow or increase very quickly in size, number, or scale.
"Complaints about the new policy mushroomed within hours of the announcement."
"The small startup mushroomed into a company with offices on three continents."
"After the video went viral, the number of visitors to the cafe mushroomed overnight."
adj
1
Shaped like a mushroom, with a wide cap on a narrower stem.
"The explosion sent up a dark mushroom cloud over the horizon."
"The lamp had a mushroom shape, with a round shade on a thin base."
"She chose a mushroom hat with a wide brim and a short crown."
How to use mushroom
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe fungus you eat, the shape it makes, or (as a verb) growing rapidly out of nowhere.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
mushroom cloud
mushroom into something
wild mushrooms
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- mushrooms
- Past tense
- mushroomed
Fill the gap
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She fried the _____ in butter and garlic before adding them to the pasta.
Etymology
From Middle English muscheron, borrowed via Old French from a word related to moss — because these fungi were first noticed growing among moss.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for mushroom
See all rhymes for mushroom →Frequently asked questions
What does “mushroom” mean?
The word “mushroom” means the fleshy, umbrella-shaped fruiting body of certain fungi, often eaten as food. In plain terms, the fungus you eat, the shape it makes, or (as a verb) growing rapidly out of nowhere.
How do you pronounce “mushroom”?
“Mushroom” is pronounced MUHSH-room (/ˈmʌʃˌɹum/ in IPA).
How do you use “mushroom” in a sentence?
Here is “mushroom” used in a sentence: “She fried the mushrooms in butter and garlic before adding them to the pasta.”
What part of speech is “mushroom”?
Depending on how it is used, “mushroom” can be a noun, a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “mushroom” come from?
The word “mushroom” comes from Old French. From Middle English muscheron, borrowed via Old French from a word related to moss — because these fungi were first noticed growing among moss.
Is “mushroom” a common word?
“Mushroom” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “mushroom” have?
“Mushroom” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the fleshy, umbrella-shaped fruiting body of certain fungi, often eaten as food.
What is the difference between mushroom and toadstool?
Both terms refer to the fleshy, umbrella-shaped fruiting body of certain fungi, but in everyday use "toadstool" is often reserved for varieties assumed to be poisonous while "mushroom" is used more generally, including edible kinds. The distinction is not scientific, since fungi taxonomy does not separate the two terms cleanly.
What does it mean when something is described as mushrooming?
When used as a verb, "mushroom" means to grow or increase very quickly in size, number, or scale, much like how a mushroom's cap can appear to expand rapidly overnight. It is commonly applied to costs, populations, or problems that expand unexpectedly fast.
When is mushroom used as an adjective?
As an adjective, "mushroom" describes something shaped like a mushroom, meaning it has a wide cap on a narrower stem, as in a "mushroom cloud." This usage draws directly on the distinctive shape of the fungus.
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