Advertisement

Origin and history of humus

humus(n.)

"vegetable mould," 1796, from Latin humus "earth, soil," probably from humi "on the ground," from PIE root *dhghem- "earth." Related: Humous (adj.).

also from 1796

Entries linking to humus

inhumation(n.)

"act of burying in the ground" (as opposed to cremation), 1630s, noun of action from inhume "to bury," literally "to put into the ground," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + humus "earth, soil" (see humus).

inhume(v.)

"bury, lay in the grave," c. 1600, from Latin inhumare "to bury," literally "to put into the ground," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + humus "earth, soil" (see humus). Related: Inhumed; inhuming.

*dhghem-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "earth."

It might form all or part of: antichthon; autochthon; autochthonic; bonhomie; bridegroom; camomile; chameleon; chernozem; chthonic; exhume; homage; hombre; homicide; hominid; Homo sapiens; homunculus; human; humane; humble; humiliate; humility; humus; inhumation; inhume; nemo; ombre; omerta.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit ksam- "earth" (opposed to "sky"); Greek khthōn "the earth, solid surface of the earth," khamai "on the ground;" Latin humus "earth, soil," humilis "low;" Lithuanian žemė, Old Church Slavonic zemlja "earth;" Old Irish du, genitive don "place," earlier "earth."

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    humility
    baseness, littleness of mind," in Church Latin "meekness," from humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus...
    omerta
    baseness, littleness of mind," in Church Latin "meekness," from humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus...
    humble
    obedient," from Old French humble, umble, earlier umele, from Latin humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus...
    humid
    French humide, umide "damp, wet" (15c.) or directly from Latin humidus "moist, wet," variant (probably by influence of humus...
    Adam
    man," literally "(the one formed from the) ground" (Hebrew adamah "ground"); compare Latin homo "man," humanus "human," humus...
    humor
    humor" (Old French humor, umor; Modern French humeur), from Latin umor "body fluid" (also humor, by false association with humus...
    silo
    1835, "a pit in the ground or a cavity in rock for storage of green crops," often in reference to other countries, and the word in English is explained at first, from Spanish silo, traditionally derived from Latin sirum (nominative sirus), from Greek siros "a pit to keep corn in.
    soil
    early 13c., "to defile or pollute with sin," from Old French soillier "to splatter with mud, to foul or make dirty," originally "to wallow" (12c., Modern French souillier), from souil "tub, wild boar's wallow, pigsty," which is from Latin solium "tub for bathing; seat" (from PIE
    paste
    c. 1300 (mid-12c. as a surname), "dough for the making of bread or pastry," from Old French paste "dough, pastry" (13c., Modern French pâte), from Late Latin pasta "dough, pastry cake, paste" (see pasta). Meaning "glue mixture, dough used as a plaster seal" is attested from c. 14
    spate
    mid-15c., "a sudden flood, natural outpouring of water," especially one caused by heavy rains or a snowmelt, originally Scottish and northern English, a word of unknown origin. Perhaps from Old French espoit "flood," from Dutch spuiten "to flow, spout" and related to spout (v.).

    Share humus

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near humus
    Advertisement