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Added 10 October 2026

fume

/fjuːm/ noun

In Latin: fūmō Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about fume at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas.

verb

Be mad, angry, or furious.
Emit a cloud of fine particles.
The chimney was fuming
Treat with fumes, expose to fumes, especially with the aim of disinfecting or eradicating pests.

Origin

From Middle English fume, from Old French fum (“smoke, steam, vapour”), from Latin fūmus (“vapour, smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰuh₂mós (“smoke”), from *dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”). Doublet of thymus and thymos. More at dun, dusk, dust.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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