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

• 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:

• humus vs. hummus

Example Sentences

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

From Science Daily

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

Temperatures in the piles decrease and the compost matures into a dark and crumby humus, resembling rich organic soil in both look and smell, the zoo said.

From Seattle Times

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

Most home landscapes are a mix of trees, shrubs and perennials, conditions most like a woodland, where coarse materials, like fallen leaves and twigs, gradually decompose into a fine-textured, biologically rich layer of humus soil.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

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