: animal life
especially
: the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment
the diverse fauna of the island
compare flora
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
Or if crops fail, or the local fauna attack.
—
Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Naturalists and marine biologists regularly survey the island’s flora and fauna, as well as coral health and water quality, while a sustainability manager assesses how to strengthen long-term environmental stewardship across the property.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Almost entirely shot with real flora and fauna using cutting-edge technology, the feature film was itself an invitation to discover natural wonders from a new point of view.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Guests will hear from photographer and storyteller Amanda Thompson and visual communicator Joe Doherty about how to better navigate the Sepulveda Basin to observe the flora and fauna that lives there.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fauna
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Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Naturalists and marine biologists regularly survey the island’s flora and fauna, as well as coral health and water quality, while a sustainability manager assesses how to strengthen long-term environmental stewardship across the property.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
Almost entirely shot with real flora and fauna using cutting-edge technology, the feature film was itself an invitation to discover natural wonders from a new point of view.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Guests will hear from photographer and storyteller Amanda Thompson and visual communicator Joe Doherty about how to better navigate the Sepulveda Basin to observe the flora and fauna that lives there.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fauna
Cite this Entry
“Fauna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fauna. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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Medical Definition
fauna
noun
fau·na
ˈfȯn-ə, ˈfän- 
: animal life
especially
: the animals characteristic of a region, period, or special environment compare flora sense 1
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