What does hypha mean?
A hypha is an individual threadlike filament in a fungus. Fungi are not built from roots, stems, and leaves in the way plants are; instead, their bodies typically consist of a branching network of hyphae called the mycelium. These filaments absorb nutrients, spread through soil or other material, and may produce reproductive structures. Hyphae can be divided by cross-walls into separate compartments, a condition described as septate, or remain continuous, as in many molds and many mushrooms. The word is most often used in biology, mycology, and discussions of fungal growth, although it is also useful when describing mold or the spread of fungal infection. The related adjective is hyphal, and the usual plural is hyphae.
nounA hypha is one of the thin, threadlike filaments that form the main vegetative structure of a fungus. Hyphae may be septate or nonseptate and collectively make up the fungal mycelium.
- A threadlike cellular filament forming part of a fungus's mycelium.
"The mold spread across the bread as a network of fine hyphae."
"Each hypha can grow at its tip and branch into new filaments."
"Microscopic examination revealed hyphae running through the leaf tissue."
Hyphae is the standard plural form and ends with the vowel sound /iː/.
"The hyphae of the fungus formed a dense, cottony mat."
A fungus that looks like a single mushroom is usually powered by a hidden underground web of microscopic hyphae.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hypha come from?
The word comes through New Latin from Greek huphē, meaning “web” or “woven thing,” an appropriate image for the interlacing filaments of a fungus. It entered English in the late nineteenth century as a scientific term. Hyphen has the same ancient Greek source through a different sense, referring originally to a mark or stroke within a written line.
Related word forms
How hypha is actually used
The singular is hypha and the plural is hyphae. The adjective form is hyphal. In biological descriptions, hyphae may be distinguished by the presence or absence of cross-walls, called septa.
Easily confused with hypha
A hypha is a filamentous structure in a fungus, whereas a hyphen is a short horizontal mark used between words or parts of words.