: 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
Guided nature walks and hikes provided up-close encounters with more of the region’s flora and fauna, as well as the opportunity to swim in the rushing waters of one of the property’s majestic waterfalls.
—
Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Feb. 2025
Then, there’s another part of the exhibit where people submitted more art that was more focused on flora and fauna, the landscape and flowers within those borders.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
Explore the State Park Goose Island State Park covers more than 300 acres and is surrounded by both St. Charles and Aransas Bays, offering plenty of outdoor recreation in addition to camping and exploring the area’s flora and fauna (birdwatching is a popular activity).
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 1 Feb. 2025
But representatives from environmental groups told Outside that the Marin Water District failed to provide detailed reports on how mountain biking would impact the flora and fauna on Mount Tamalpais during this process.
—Maureen Gaffney, Outside Online, 30 Jan. 2025
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Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 3 Feb. 2025
Then, there’s another part of the exhibit where people submitted more art that was more focused on flora and fauna, the landscape and flowers within those borders.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
Explore the State Park Goose Island State Park covers more than 300 acres and is surrounded by both St. Charles and Aransas Bays, offering plenty of outdoor recreation in addition to camping and exploring the area’s flora and fauna (birdwatching is a popular activity).
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 1 Feb. 2025
But representatives from environmental groups told Outside that the Marin Water District failed to provide detailed reports on how mountain biking would impact the flora and fauna on Mount Tamalpais during this process.
—Maureen Gaffney, Outside Online, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fauna
Dictionary Entries Near fauna
Cite this Entry
“Fauna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fauna. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
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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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