fomes

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fomes

/ˈfəʊmiːz/ UK
/ˈfoʊ.miːz/ US

Where it comes from

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.

noun fomites

obsolete Morbid matter created by a disease. 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.
archaic Synonym of fomite: a substance able to communicate infection between people. Toys are common fomites.
Similar: fomite
archaic, figuratively Anything which similarly facilitates the spread of something similarly deleterious. Naturall tempers... prove a great Fomes of sinne.

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MLA

"fomes." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/fomes. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

APA

fomes. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/fomes

Chicago

"fomes." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 7, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/fomes.

BibTeX

@misc{fomes_2026,
  title = {fomes},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/fomes},
  urldate = {2026-11-07}
}