fomes

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English

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Etymology

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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.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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fomes (plural fomites)

  1. (obsolete, medicine) The morbid matter created by a disease.
    • 1773, Gentleman's Magazine, number 43, page 554:
      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.
  2. (archaic, medicine) Synonym of fomite: a substance able to communicate infection between people.
    Toys are common fomites.
    • 1803, Medical & Physical Journal, number 10, page 213:
      I cannot say that I have known it spread from fomites.
  3. (archaic, figurative) Anything which similarly facilitates the spread of something similarly deleterious.
    • 1658, John Owen, Of Temptation, page 126:
      Naturall tempers... prove a great Fomes of sinne.

References

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Anagrams

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Latin

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Etymology

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From Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰ-. Related to Latin foveō (I keep warm), compare Latin fōmentum (compress, poultice; kindling; mitigation).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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fōmes m (genitive fōmitis); third declension

  1. tinder, kindling
    • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Virgil, Aeneid 1.174–176:
      Ac prīmum silicī scintillam excūdit Achātēs,
      succēpitque ignem foliīs, atque ārida circum
      nūtrīmenta dedit, rapuitque in fōmite flammam.
      And Achates first struck a spark from flint, and caught the fire on leaves, and so he spread dry fuel around, and hastened a flame within the tinder.
  2. (Medieval Latin) tinderbox
  3. (New Latin, medicine) fomite

Declension

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Third-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative fōmes fōmitēs
Genitive fōmitis fōmitum
Dative fōmitī fōmitibus
Accusative fōmitem fōmitēs
Ablative fōmite fōmitibus
Vocative fōmes fōmitēs

References

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  • fomes”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • fomes”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • fomes in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Middle English

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Noun

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fomes

  1. plural of fome

Portuguese

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Noun

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fomes

  1. plural of fome

Spanish

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Adjective

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fomes

  1. plural of fome