What does agaric mean?
An agaric is a type of fungus belonging to the order Agaricales, characterised by a fleshy fruiting body consisting of a cap supported on a stalk, with gills (thin radiating plates) on the underside of the cap where spores are produced. Familiar mushrooms and toadstools are typical examples, making the term central to mycology and field guides. The word also has an older, largely historical sense: the dried fruiting bodies of certain wood-rotting fungi, particularly the larch bracket fungus known as white agaric, were once widely used in medicine for their astringent properties. In modern usage, 'agaric' appears mainly in scientific, horticultural, and nature-writing contexts rather than casual speech, and it carries no strong emotional connotation beyond the general fascination or wariness that fungi inspire. Related terms include fly agaric, the striking red-and-white-spotted Amanita muscaria famous in folklore and fairy-tale imagery. Understanding 'agaric' is useful for anyone reading about fungi, foraging, or the history of herbal medicine.
A fungus of the order Agaricales, typically having a cap with gills on the underside and a central stalk; a mushroom or toadstool.
"She photographed a cluster of agarics growing at the base of the birch."
This is the dominant modern sense, used mainly in mycological and natural-history contexts.
The dried fruiting body of certain bracket fungi, especially Fomitopsis officinalis (larch agaric), formerly used medicinally as an astringent.
"Old pharmacopoeias listed white agaric among their standard remedies."
A historical sense, now rare outside discussions of traditional medicine.
The standard English plural is 'agarics'. When used as a formal taxonomic generic name, the Latinised form 'agari' occasionally appears, but this is uncommon.
"After the rain, dozens of agarics sprang up overnight across the meadow."
The fly agaric's Latin name, Amanita muscaria, comes from an old belief that its pieces sprinkled in milk could stupefy flies.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of agaric
The word 'agaric' derives from the Latin 'agaricum', which itself was borrowed from Greek 'ἀγαρικόν' (agarikon), a name applied to a medicinal tree-fungus, possibly one growing on larches in the region of Sarmatia. The term entered English in the late Middle Ages through learned and apothecary usage, initially referring to the dried medicinal fungus before being extended to gilled mushrooms generally. Its Greek root connects it to other learned borrowings in botanical nomenclature, including the family name Agaricaceae.
Related word forms
How agaric is actually used
The word is chiefly technical, appearing in mycology and natural-history writing rather than everyday conversation. In older medical texts, 'agaric' often referred specifically to the dried larch fungus (the 'white agaric'), a sense now largely obsolete. The plural is usually 'agarics', though in strict botanical usage the plural may be rendered 'agari' when treated as a Latin generic name.
Easily confused with agaric
Garlic is a pungent edible bulb used as a seasoning, while an agaric is a gilled fungus such as a mushroom — the two merely sound similar.