humus

/'hju:məs/

Thân thiện

A bowl of humus sits on a table with pita bread and fresh vegetables.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A thick, savory spread or dip: A food preparation made primarily from mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon juice, and garlic. It is a traditional dish of Middle Eastern origin.
   • Partially decomposed organic matter: The dark, organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms. It is crucial for soil fertility.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Food):

  • We ate humus with warm pita bread as an appetizer.
  • This recipe for homemade humus requires chickpeas, tahini, and fresh lemon juice.

• Noun (Soil):

  • Healthy garden soil is rich in humus.
  • The decomposition of fallen leaves adds humus to the forest floor.

Advanced Usage

• "Humus layer": Refers to the top layer of soil rich in organic matter.
  • Earthworms help mix the humus layer with the mineral soil below.

Variants and Related Words

• Hummus: An alternative, common spelling for the food item.
  • The menu listed both "hummus" and "humus" for the chickpea dip.

Synonyms

• For the food: Chickpea dip, spread.
• For the soil component: Organic matter, compost (in a general sense), soil organic matter.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The two meanings of humus are distinct and belong to different contexts (culinary vs. agricultural/ecological). They are homographs (spelled the same). The food term is often spelled hummus to avoid confusion, though humus is also correct.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic; used especially as a dip for pita; originated in the Middle East
2. partially decomposed organic matter; the organic component of soil

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hummus
• hommos
• hoummos
• humous