Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fomes

/ˈfoʊ.miːz/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.23 in modern English

Syllables: fomes
IPA: /ˈfoʊ.miːz/

10

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Morbid matter created by a disease.

Obsolete

noun

Synonym of fomite: a substance able to communicate infection between people.

Archaic

noun

Anything which similarly facilitates the spread of something similarly deleterious.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"If this putrid ferment could be more immediately corrected, a stop would probably be put to the flux, and the fomes of the disease likewise removed."
"Toys are common fomites."
"I cannot say that I have known it spread from fomites."
"Naturall tempers... prove a great Fomes of sinne."

Etymology

From medical Latin fōmes (“fomite”), a figurative extension of its original sense of kindling, tinder, etc. Gradually supplanted in use by fomite, a mistaken backformation of its plural form fomites, from Latin fōmitēs.

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: fōmes

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfoʊ.miːz/
British English: /ˈfəʊmiːz/

Usage

Inflected Forms

fomites (plural)

Synonyms

fomite

Questions

How do you pronounce fomes?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfoʊ.miːz/.
What does fomes mean?: Morbid matter created by a disease.
Where does fomes come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce fomes

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “fomes”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfoʊ.miːz/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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