humanity

noun

hu·​man·​i·​ty hyü-ˈma-nə-tē How to pronounce humanity (audio)
yü-
plural humanities
1
: compassionate, sympathetic, or generous behavior or disposition : the quality or state of being humane
bespeaking humanity for the enemy in the midst of a bloody struggleC. G. Bowers
2
a
: the quality or state of being human
joined together by their common humanity
b
humanities plural : human attributes or qualities
his work has the ripeness of the 18th century, and its rough humanitiesPamela H. Johnson
3
humanities plural : the branches of learning (such as philosophy, arts, or languages) that investigate human constructs (see construct entry 2 sense 1a) and concerns as opposed to natural processes (as in physics or chemistry) and social relations (as in anthropology or economics)
4
: the totality of human beings : the human race : humankind
a fierce compassion for the woes of humanityMaurice Bowra

Examples of humanity in a Sentence

We appealed to his sense of humanity. These discoveries will be of benefit to all humanity. She was cut off from the rest of humanity. the college of arts and humanities He's taking courses in both the sciences and the humanities.
Recent Examples on the Web And that really informs her view of humanity and what her view of humanity is ends up really affecting the plot in an interesting way. Lauren Goode, WIRED, 21 Mar. 2024 This is a story of humanity grappling with its deepest shadows. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024 The fact is that 95% of humanity (i.e., the less affluent majority) and the health of the planet don’t fit into the industry’s calculations of profit and loss. Jim Fruchterman, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Catastrophic thinking in service of humanity, on the big screen? The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024 Notable deaths in 2024 A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity. David Morgan, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2024 There are no easy solutions for these thorny problems, but one place to start would be to bring more humanities experts into GWAS, particularly anthropologists, sociologists, and historians. Thiago Arzua, STAT, 15 Mar. 2024 But with his characteristic candor, the Pope also shares a wealth of stories that show his humanity. Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Simply injecting a small amount of humanity into the story works wonders throughout. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'humanity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see human entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of humanity was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near humanity

Cite this Entry

“Humanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humanity. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

humanity

noun
hu·​man·​i·​ty hyü-ˈman-ət-ē How to pronounce humanity (audio)
yü-
plural humanities
1
: the quality or state of being human or of being humane
2
plural : studies (as literature, history, and art) concerned primarily with human culture
3
: the whole collection of human beings both past and present

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