any fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota (formerly class Basidiomycetes), in which the spores are produced in basidia. The group includes boletes, puffballs, smuts, and rusts
Derived forms
basidiomycetous (baˌsidiomyˈcetous)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from basidi(um) + -mycete
basidiomycete in American English
(bəˌsɪdioʊˈmaɪˌsit; bəˌsɪdioʊmaɪˈsit)
noun
any of a subdivision (Basidiomycotina) of fungi, including the mushrooms, rusts, smuts, and puffballs, that produce spores on basidia; club fungus