hummus
UK[ˈhʊm.əs]US[ˈhʊm.əs]
n
a thick, smooth food made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, usually mixed with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.
Etymology
the word "hummus" entered english in the mid-20th century as a loanword from modern arabic, specifically from the levantine arabic term "ḥummuṣ," which means "chickpea." this, in turn, derives from the classical arabic "ḥimmaṣ." the word's journey is a direct one, moving from its source language into english to name the specific food paste made from its primary ingredient. its adoption reflects the growing global familiarity with middle eastern cuisine. as a simplex loanword, its meaning is carried by the entire unit rather than by combinable parts.
Analysis
this word is a direct loanword from a foreign language and cannot be meaningfully segmented into morphemes within the english spelling system.
Examples
we spread the hummus on warm pita bread for a quick snack.
this recipe for homemade hummus calls for extra garlic and lemon juice.
the supermarket offers a variety of flavored hummus, like roasted red pepper or olive.