: 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
This setting is not a place of wonder filled with peculiar flora and fauna, but a gaping, uninviting void.
—
David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2025
There has been an ongoing, large-scale restoration project on the island to rid Floreana of invasive species and return the native flora and fauna, the park said, which may have contributed to the recent sighting.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
Once outside the airport, visitors to Madeira can enjoy its scenic landscapes and flora and fauna.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
The volunteer, Deb Manley, walked into the dusty basin and snapped a photo of the eye-catching plant, then shared it on iNaturalist — a social media platform for sharing pictures of flora and fauna.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fauna
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David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2025
There has been an ongoing, large-scale restoration project on the island to rid Floreana of invasive species and return the native flora and fauna, the park said, which may have contributed to the recent sighting.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
Once outside the airport, visitors to Madeira can enjoy its scenic landscapes and flora and fauna.
—Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
The volunteer, Deb Manley, walked into the dusty basin and snapped a photo of the eye-catching plant, then shared it on iNaturalist — a social media platform for sharing pictures of flora and fauna.
—Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fauna
Cite this Entry
“Fauna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fauna. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
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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