Showing results for "fomes"

• singular of fomites.

fomes

American  

[foh-meez] / ˈfoʊ miz /

noun

fomites plural

1. Pathology. Usually a surface, as clothing or a door handle, that can become contaminated with pathogens when touched by the carrier of an infection, and can then transmit the pathogens to those who next touch the surface.

   I know my stainless steel sink is an excellent fomes, so it’s easily contaminated, but the vet told me not to worry about petting my dog—her porous, fibrous fur is a very poor fomes.

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fomes British  

/ ˈfəʊmiːz /

noun

1. med any material, such as bedding or clothing, that may harbour pathogens and therefore convey disease

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fomites
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fomes

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin fōmes “kindling wood, tinder,” akin to fōvēre “to keep warm”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fomes fomites

Objection 1: It would seem that the Blessed Virgin was not cleansed from the infection of the fomes.

From Summa Theologica, Part III (Tertia Pars) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint

Therefore by the sanctification in the womb she was not absolutely cleansed from the fomes.

From Summa Theologica, Part III (Tertia Pars) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint

For some have held that the fomes was entirely taken away in that sanctification whereby the Blessed Virgin was sanctified in the womb.

From Summa Theologica, Part III (Tertia Pars) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint

Yet they remain weakened and diminished, so as not to domineer over man, and they are after the manner of dispositions rather than of habits, like the fomes which remains after Baptism.

From Summa Theologica, Part III (Tertia Pars) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint

It remains, therefore, for us to say, either that the fomes was entirely taken away from her by her first sanctification or that it was fettered.

From Summa Theologica, Part III (Tertia Pars) From the Complete American Edition by Thomas, Aquinas, Saint

In emails, Mid-Michigan health officials hypothesized that the cats acquired the virus from droplets, known as fomites, on their owners’ hands or clothing.

From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2024

So-called fomites, particles that trap virus, might also move between farms on equipment or clothing.

From Science Magazine ● Apr. 25, 2024

Rasmussen said epidemiologists can have a difficult time finding real-word evidence of a virus’s transmission via contaminated objects or surfaces, which are called fomites.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 22, 2020

In the guinea pig study, the researchers investigated if tiny, non-respiratory particles or aerosolized fomites, could carry influenza virus between guinea pigs.

From Fox News ● Aug. 20, 2020

For years people had attributed the disease to invisible particles which they called "fomites."

From How to Study and Teaching How to Study by McMurry, Frank M. (Frank Morton)