A device that increases the moisture content in the air of a room or building.
From Latin 'humidus' (moist) + English '-ifier' (that which makes). 'Humidus' comes from 'humere' (to be moist), related to 'humus' (earth/soil) - the connection being that moist earth was the standard for measuring dampness. The suffix '-ify' comes from Latin 'facere' (to make), so a humidifier literally 'makes humid' the way earth naturally holds moisture.
Humidifiers are named after soil - the Latin root 'humidus' connects to 'humus' (earth) because moist soil was ancient people's reference point for perfect dampness. Your bedroom humidifier is linguistically trying to make your air as pleasantly moist as garden earth.
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