What does the word "hummus" mean in Arabic?

The word “hummus” means “chickpeas” in Arabic. The familiar dip is more fully called hummus bi tahini, meaning chickpeas with tahini, because it combines mashed chickpeas with sesame paste and other ingredients.

In Arabic, the word refers primarily to the legume itself rather than specifically to the prepared dip. The dish’s name entered English in the mid-20th century, through forms used in Middle Eastern and neighboring cuisines. English usage shortened the longer Arabic name to “hummus.”

Hummus is usually made by blending cooked chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Recipes vary across the Middle East and North Africa, and some use cumin, paprika, parsley, or whole chickpeas as garnish. “Paste,” “spread,” and “dip” describe the food’s texture or culinary use, but they are not the Arabic meaning of the word. Chickpeas themselves have been cultivated in the Near East for thousands of years.