humus

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

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

Borrowed from Latin humus.

This earth forms the dark-colored, rich humus which almost everywhere covers the surface of the land with a fairly well-defined layer or mantle. — The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886, Ontario. Department of Education
One day, carried off by a hurricane from neighboring shores, some seed fell onto these limestone beds, mixing with decomposed particles of fish and marine plants to form vegetable humus. — Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas: An Underwater Tour of the World, Jules Verne
On parts of the Issa, as on the Napo, the deep banks show strata of shingle, with perhaps red or white clay, that alternate with the dark humus and decaying wood. — The North-West Amazons: Notes of some months spent among cannibal tribes, Thomas Whiffen

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