humus

[ hyoo-muh s or, often, yoo- ]
/ ˈhyu məs or, often, ˈyu- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR humus ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

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

OTHER WORDS FROM humus

non·hu·mus, noun

Words nearby humus

hums, humuhumunukunukuapuaa, humulin, humulon, humungous, humus, humvee, hun, hun-tun, hunan, hunch

Words related to humus

fertilizer, land, dirt, terrain, shore, surface, coast, mud, clay, dust, turf, gravel, sand, manure, compost, clod, sod, muck, deposit, mold

Example sentences from the Web for humus

British Dictionary definitions 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

undefined humus

Avoid confusion with hummus

Scientific definitions for humus

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.