humus Latin · revision 4768

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *dʰéǵʰōm}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈhʊ.mʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈuː.mus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''humus''' ''f'' (genitive humī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The locative ''humī'' means “on the ground”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(DMLBS) Laevius and Gracchus used it as masculine or neuter.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*χomo-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*dʰéǵʰōm|t=earth]], an old root noun; de Vaan thinks the o-stem grew from the locative [[m|la|humī]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[osc|huntrus|t=those below]], [[sa|क्षा|tr=kṣā́ḥ|t=earth]], [[grc|χθών|tr=khthṓn|t=earth]], [[grc|χαμαί|tr=khamaí|t=on the ground]] and [[lt|žẽmė|t=earth]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) [[homō]] “man”, the earthling, is from the same root.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was the earth or ground, ''humī'' “on the ground”, as in Cicero's lying on the ground, dry land, a stretch of ground, and soil.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) ''Humō tectus'' was “covered with earth”.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was also the grave, a land or region, and soil used in building.^(MLW)^(DMLBS) English ''humus'' “vegetable mould” was borrowed in 1796.^(Etymonline) Its derivatives [[humilis]] “low” and [[humō]] “to bury” gave English ''humble'' and ''exhume''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of lying on the ground (''humī'').^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 13th century – English ''humble'' is recorded, from ''humilis''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1796 – English ''humus'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|earth]], ground, ''humī'', on the ground.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Dry ground.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A stretch of ground, a land.^(OLD 2012)^(MLW)

+ # [[m|en|Soil]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The grave.^(MLW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[humilis]]

+ * [[humō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[homō]]

+ * [[en|humus]]

+ * [[en|humble]]

+ * [[en|exhume]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}