Word of the Day

: July 17, 2009

omnibus

adjective AHM-nih-bus

What It Means

1 : of, relating to, or providing for many things at once

2 : containing or including many items

omnibus in Context

At the beginning of the school year, teachers held an omnibus meeting to tie up many of the loose ends that were left unaddressed over the summer.

Did You Know?

The adjective "omnibus" may not have much to do with public transportation, but the noun "omnibus" certainly does -- it not only means "bus,"but it's also the word English speakers shortened to form "bus." The noun "omnibus" originated in the 1820s as a French word for long, horse-drawn vehicles that transported people along the main thoroughfares of Paris. Shortly thereafter, omnibuses -- and the noun "omnibus" -- arrived in New York. But in Latin, "omnibus" simply means "for all." Our adjective "omnibus," which arrived in the mid-1800s, seems to hark back to that Latin "omnibus," though it may also have been at least partially influenced by the English noun. An "omnibus bill" containing numerous provisions, for example, could be likened to a bus loaded with people.