mushroom

1 of 2

noun

mush·​room ˈməsh-ˌrüm 

-ˌru̇m;

 chiefly Northern and Midland US  -ˌrün;

 dialectal  ˈmə-shə-ˌrüm,

-ˌru̇m,

-ˌrün

1

a

: an enlarged complex aboveground fleshy fruiting body of a fungus (such as a basidiomycete) that consists typically of a stem bearing a pileus

especially : one that is edible

b

: fungus

2

: upstart

3

: something resembling a mushroom

mushroom

2 of 2

verb

mushroomed; mushrooming; mushrooms

intransitive verb

1

a

: to well up and spread out laterally from a central source

b

: to become enlarged or extended : grow

2

: to collect wild mushrooms

3

: to spring up suddenly or multiply rapidly

Synonyms

Verb

• accelerate
• accumulate
• appreciate
• balloon
• boom
• build up
• burgeon
• bourgeon
• climb
• enlarge
• escalate
• expand
• gain
• increase
• mount
• multiply
• proliferate
• rise
• roll up
• snowball
• spread
• swell
• wax

Examples of mushroom in a Sentence

Noun

cut up some mushrooms for the salad

Verb

Interest in local history is suddenly mushrooming.

Her hobby mushroomed into a thriving business.

He goes mushrooming in the spring every year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Guests of these two hotels have access to a private pool, a members-only Beach Club, and the Ocean Club, a posh living room and beachside outdoor patio where, one morning, my family had a leisurely breakfast of pancakes, a wild mushroom omelet, and eggs Benedict. —Maya Kachroo-Levine, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025

Stir wine into mushroom mixture and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. —Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 20 June 2025

Verb

If these allegations are corroborated, expect the total of public funds paid to families harmed by Sheriff’s Department negligence or misconduct — at least $75 million since 2019 — to keep mushrooming. —U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 May 2025

And yet there’s so many unbelievable medicinal properties that mushrooms that don’t even have psilocybin have to offer. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English musheron, from Anglo-French musherum, musseron, from Late Latin mussirion-, mussirio

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing mushroom

• button mushroom
• chaga mushroom
• chicken mushroom
• enokidake mushroom
• enoki mushroom
• enokitake mushroom
• field mushroom
• lion's mane mushroom
• magic mushroom
• meadow mushroom
• mushroom cap
• mushroom cloud
• oyster mushroom
• sacred mushroom
• straw mushroom
• sulfur mushroom

Kids Definition

mushroom

1 of 2 noun

mush·​room ˈməsh-ˌrüm 

-ˌru̇m

1

: a fleshy part of a fungus that bears spores, grows above ground, and consists usually of a stem bearing a flattened cap

especially : one that is edible

2

: fungus sense 1

mushroom

2 of 2 verb

: to appear or develop suddenly or increase rapidly

the population mushroomed

Medical Definition

mushroom

noun

mush·​room ˈməsh-ˌrüm  -ˌru̇m 

1

: an enlarged complex fleshy fruiting body of a fungus (as most basidiomycetes) that arises from an underground mycelium and consists typically of a stem bearing a spore-bearing structure

especially : one that is edible compare toadstool

2

: fungus sense 1