humanist
a person having a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity.
a person devoted to or versed in the humanities.
a student of human nature or affairs.
a classical scholar.
(sometimes initial capital letter) any one of the scholars of the Renaissance who pursued and disseminated the study and understanding of the cultures of ancient Rome and Greece, and emphasized secular, individualistic, and critical thought.
(sometimes initial capital letter) a person who follows a form of philosophical or scientific humanism.
of or relating to human affairs, nature, welfare, or values: our humanist principles; a humanist approach to social reform.
(sometimes initial capital letter) of or relating to the humanities or classical scholarship, especially that of the Renaissance humanists: humanist studies; the Humanist ideology of Petrarch.
of or relating to philosophical or scientific humanism: a humanist philosophy that clashed with his parents’ religious beliefs.
Origin of humanist
1Other words from humanist
- hu·man·is·ti·cal·ly, adverb
- an·ti·hu·man·ist, noun, adjective
- an·ti·hu·man·is·tic, adjective
- non·hu·ma·nist, noun
- non·hu·man·is·tic, adjective
- pseu·do·hu·man·is·tic, adjective
- qua·si-hu·man·is·tic, adjective
- sem·i·hu·man·is·tic, adjective
- un·hu·man·is·tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use humanist in a sentence
It helped me to look at Israelis in a more humanistic way.
Palestinian and Israeli Citizens Bypass Their Governments in Search for Peace | Evie M. Salomon | August 17, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTYet when it comes to Palestinians under Israel's control, the humanistic approach to children's welfare tends to wither.
He prioritized spiritual values and humanistic principles above market forces and hedonistic impulses.
David Foster Wallace, Traditionalist? Considering ‘Both Flesh and Not: Essays’ | David Masciotra | November 2, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTAre they idealistic freedom fighters with humanistic principles?
Free Syrian Army Struggles to Survive Amid Charges That It’s Executing Opponents | Tobias Havmand | May 1, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTThey had Ph.D. degrees from some German school, all based on some atheistic, humanistic philosophy.
It is worth noticing that not one of these young men went to Italy for his humanistic education.
The Age of Erasmus | P. S. AllenThe idealism of the eighteenth century was not reformative and humanistic, but revolutionary and humanitarian.
An Epitome of the History of Medicine | Roswell ParkBetween applied science and science as a cultural discipline—that is, science as a humanistic study—the line is hard to draw.
The Behavior of Crowds | Everett Dean MartinHumanistic writing is full of the exulting sense of this emancipation.
Preaching and Paganism | Albert Parker FitchHence the pride which is an essential quality of the humanistic attitude.
Preaching and Paganism | Albert Parker Fitch
Cultural definitions for humanist
In the Renaissance, a scholar who studied the languages and cultures of ancient Greece and Rome; today, a scholar of the humanities. The term secular humanist is applied to someone who concentrates on human activities and possibilities, usually downplaying or denying the importance of God and a life after death.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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