mushroom

 
Pronunciation: /ˈmʌʃruːm, -rʊm/

noun

  • 1a fungal growth that typically takes the form of a domed cap on a stalk, with gills on the underside of the cap: she sautéd the mushrooms in butter [as modifier]: mushroom soup
  • a thing resembling a mushroom in shape: a mushroom of smoke and flames
  • 2 [mass noun] a pale pinkish-brown colour: [as modifier]: a mushroom leather bag

verb

[no object]
  • 1increase, spread, or develop rapidly: environmental concern mushroomed in the 1960s
  • 2form a shape resembling that of a mushroom: the grenade mushroomed into red fire as it hit the hillside
  • (of a bullet) expand and flatten on reaching its target: these are high-performance bullets which mushroom upon impact
  • 3 (usually as noun mushrooming) gather mushrooms: he went mushrooming with his father

Derivatives

mushroomy

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English (originally denoting any fungus having a fleshy fruiting body): from Old French mousseron, from late Latin mussirio(n-)