You do not want to get hummus and humus mixed up at your next party. Trust me.
I did love the buffet at that New Year’s Eve party, all done up with little signs telling you what each dish and dip was (I think mine host was worried about allergies!), and I found one dip labeled humus. Nope, not gonna touch that one.
I know that humus is fabulous in the garden, but there is no way I am sticking it in my mouth. I do not care how tasty those chips look!
Hummus…, now hummus I adore, and I get to feel all self-righteous when I eat it, as it’s so very healthy for you!
Then again, chickpeas would grow really well in humus…which means I can get more hummus!
Word Confusions…
…started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noir for you from either end.
If you found this post on “Hummus versus Humus” interesting, consider tweeting it to your friends. Subscribe to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.
| Hummus | Humus |
|---|---|
| Credit to: Apple Dictionary.com; Oxford Living Dictionaries: humus | |
Hummus by Donovan Govan is under the GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. |
Leafy Plant in a Pottery Bowl by congerdesign is under the CC0 license, via Pixnio. — A healthy plant growing in a humus-filled pot. |
| Part of Grammar: | |
| Noun Plural: hummuses Alternative spelling: hommos, houmous, hoummos |
Mass Noun Plural: humus |
| A thick paste or spread made from ground chickpeas, a.k.a., garbanzo beans, and sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon, and garlic, made originally in the Middle East | The organic component of soil, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms |
| Examples: | |
| I love hummus spread across a piece of toasted sourdough bread with slices of cucumber or tomato on top.
Hummus makes a great dip for wholegrain chips, pita bread, or veggies. An incredibly healthy food, hummus is nutritious, high in fiber, and protein-packed. Hummus can help fight off inflammation and has a low glycemic index. Spread hummus across a tortilla (or inside pita bread), roll it up, and enjoy. American-style includes roasted red pepper hummus or one with Kalamata olives. |
Humus provides nutrients for plants and increases the ability of soil to retain water.
The final product, humus or compost, looks and feels like fertile garden soil. Mature compost is a complex organic material that has been transformed into stable humus by microorganisms. Lack of biological insect control necessitates using more pesticides, as lack of humus and plant litter necessitates using more chemical fertilizers. If it’s sandy or stiff with clay, dig in humus to improve water retention and aeration. In addition, continue to put out organic humus as you plant. |
| Derivatives: | |
| Noun: nonhumus | |
| History of the Word: | |
| From the dialectal Arabic word ḥummuṣ, ḥəmmoṣ meaning chickpeas.
Another source claims it’s from the 1955 Turkish humus meaning mashed chick peas. |
Late 18th century from the Latin for soil. |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan…which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them…and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions by exploring the index. You may also want to explore Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, and/or the Properly Punctuated.
Pinterest Photo Credits:
This yummy spread of Hummus with its chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and flax is under the CC0 license, via pxhere while I took liberties with Falafel with Humus by iSAWcompany by cropping, adjusting, and darkening a single falafel. It is under the CC0 license, via Pixabay.
