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Synonyms

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.

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

"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 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.

Commonly Confused

See hummus

Other Word 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; chameleon, chthonian, zemstvo; Homo

Compare meaning

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

Vocabulary lists containing humus

Physical Geography - Middle School

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Physical Geography - High School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This stored carbon is found mostly in the forests' humus layer, which contains decomposed leaves and other organic matter.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2024

The last, completely rotted layer is built up of a thick and dark organic matter called humus, a type of soil that provides the ideal environment in which plants grow and thrive.

From National Geographic • Oct. 12, 2023

Chernozem is richer than other soils in nutrients such as humus, phosphorus and nitrogen and extends deep into the ground, as much as 1.5 metres.

From Reuters • Mar. 1, 2023

Quarantined items could include soil, humus, compost, manure, grass sod, yard debris, potted plants, bulbs and plant crowns.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 8, 2022

She inhaled the perfume of the drenched earth, the rotten leaves, and the humus, which awakened an unknown pleasure in all her senses.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.