megafauna

noun

mega·​fau·​na ˈme-gə-ˌfȯ-nə How to pronounce megafauna (audio)
-ˌfä-
1
: animals (such as bears, bison, or mammoths) of particularly large size
2
: fauna consisting of individuals large enough to be visible to the naked eye
megafaunal adjective

Examples of megafauna in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Now, in a study published last week in the journal Science Advances, a team of researchers from the U.S. and Canada presents new, direct evidence that suggests Clovis humans took down megafauna. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Dec. 2024 Meanwhile, South American megafauna moved northward, including giant ground sloths and glyptodonts (enormous armadillos). Martin Broen, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024 The Pliocene marine megafauna extinction and its impact on functional diversity Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2024 Approximately half of the megafauna cataloged during the 2013 environmental survey were found only on the nodules. Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 22 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for megafauna 

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of megafauna was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near megafauna

Cite this Entry

“Megafauna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/megafauna. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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