humus

American  

[hyoo-muhs, yoo-] / ˈhyu məs, ˈyu- /

noun

1. the dark organic material in soils, produced by the decomposition of vegetable or animal matter and essential to the fertility of the earth.

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humus British  

/ ˈhjuːməs /

noun

1. a dark brown or black colloidal mass of partially decomposed organic matter in the soil. It improves the fertility and water retention of the soil and is therefore important for plant growth

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humus Scientific  

/ hyo̅o̅′məs /

1. A dark-brown or black organic substance made up of decayed plant or animal matter. Humus provides nutrients for plants and increases the ability of soil to retain water.

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Commonly Confused

See hummus

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonhumus
  noun

Etymology

Origin of humus

1790–1800; < Latin: earth, ground; akin to Greek chamaí on the ground, chthṓn earth, Sanskrit kṣam-, Lithuanian žẽmė, Serbo-Croatian zèmlja ground, earth; cf. chameleon, chthonian, zemstvo; see Homo

Compare meaning

How does humus compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• humus vs. hummus

Example Sentences

He also brought Humus, a nonvintage Portuguese red from Encosta da Quinta.

From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2021

Humus and ful are already on the table‚ next to a small plate of fresh onions‚ green chilis and a kalashnikov.

From Time • Apr. 19, 2013

Humus has sold a piddling 10,000 tons per year, has nevertheless made a small profit since 1934.

From Time Magazine Archive

Humus or the organic matter in the soil is composed of litter, leaves and animal ingredients that have decayed under the influence of bacteria.

From Studies of Trees by Levison, Jacob Joshua

Humus soil absorbs the rain as readily as the sand and holds it with a firmer grip than clay.

From The First Book of Farming by Goodrich, Charles Landon

Related Words

• clay
• coast
• dirt
• dust
• gravel
• land
• mud
• sand
• shore
• surface
• terrain
• turf