macrofauna

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noun

Any large animal that is not quite large enough to be considered megafauna, but larger than microfauna. Some include larger species of insects and annelids in this group.

OriginEnglish fauna ← French macro- ← Ancient Greek μᾰκρός (măkrós) →
RareScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounmacrofauna (plural macrofaunae or macrofaunas)

plural macrofaunae · plural macrofaunas

  1. Any large animal that is not quite large enough to be considered megafauna, but larger than microfauna. Some include larger species of insects and annelids in this group.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*meh₂ḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*mh₂ḱrós
  3. Proto-Hellenic*makrós
  4. Ancient Greekμᾰκρός (măkrós)
  5. Frenchmacro-
  6. Englishmacro-
  7. Englishfauna
  8. Englishmacrofauna

From macro- + fauna.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

macrofauna. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macrofauna

MLA

“macrofauna.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macrofauna. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “macrofauna,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/macrofauna.

Source: macrofauna on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.