fox·fire

[foks-fahyuhr]
noun Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S.
1.
organic luminescence, especially from certain fungi on decaying wood.
2.
any of various fungi causing luminescence in decaying wood.
Also, fox-fire.


Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English; see fox, fire

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To foxfire
Collins
World English Dictionary
foxfire (ˈfɒksˌfaɪə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
See also bioluminescence a luminescent glow emitted by certain fungi on rotting wood

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Foxfire is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
Example sentences
But at night a chemical reaction causes the fungus to emit an eerie green glow sometimes called foxfire.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT