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humus

 [hyoo-muhs or, often, yoo-]   Example Sentences Origin

hu·mus

   [hyoo-muhs or, often, yoo-]
noun
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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Origin:
1790–1800; < Latin: earth, ground; akin to Greek chamaí on the ground, chthṓn earth, Sanskrit kṣam-, Lithuanian žẽmė, Serbo-Croatian zèmlja ground, earth; compare chameleon, chthonian, zemstvo; see Homo

Related forms
non·hu·mus, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Humus is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
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Example Sentences
  • These bacteria also generate humus that can be used for turf or topsoil.
  • Humus is dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant and animal matter decays.
  • In fall, plant bulbs in porous soil with ample humus.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
humus (ˈhjuːməs)
 
—n
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 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

humus
1796, from L. humus "earth, soil," probably from humi "on the ground," from PIE *ghom- (cf. Gk. khamai "on the ground," Lith. zeme, O.C.S. zemlja "earth," L. humilis "low").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
humus   (hy'məs)  Pronunciation Key 
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
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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