Meaning & use
humus
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Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
The dark, rich part of soil made from rotted plants and animals.
Grammar: No plural: say 'a layer of humus', not 'humuses'.
Patterns
- a layer of humus
- rich in humus
- form humus
The forest floor is covered with a thick layer of humus.
These plants grow best in soil that is rich in humus.
Decaying leaves slowly turn into humus.
Common combinations
- rich in humus
- The garden soil is rich in humus and drains well.
- a layer of humus
- Under the fallen leaves, a layer of humus has built up.
- form humus
- Bacteria and fungi help form humus from dead plant material.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- humic adjective
- Relating to humus, as in humic acid.
Commonly confused: humus or hummus?
humus vs hummus
Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip made from chickpeas; humus is the organic matter in soil. They sound similar but mean completely different things.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'humus' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Humus' is the organic matter in soil, so it fits the sentence about soil and plants. Option A describes a food (that would be 'hummus'), C confuses it with a color word, and D uses it as a verb, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “humus”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.