humus
[ hyoo-muh s or, often, yoo- ]
/ ˈhyu məs or, often, ˈyu- /
noun
the dark organic material in soils, produced by the decomposition of vegetable or animal matter and essential to the fertility of the earth.
RELATED WORDS
fertilizer, land, dirt, terrain, shore, surface, coast, mud, clay, dust, turf, gravel, sand, manure, compost, clod, sod, muck, deposit, mold
Nearby words
Origin of humus
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for humus
humus
/ (ˈhjuːməs) /
noun
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
Word Origin for humus
C18: from Latin: soil, earth
confusable
Avoid confusion with hummus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
humus
1796, from Latin humus "earth, soil," probably from humi "on the ground," from PIE *dhghem- "earth" (cf. Latin humilis "low;" see chthonic). Related: Humous (adj.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
humus
[ hyōō′məs ]
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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