humanity
Americannoun
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all human beings collectively; the human race; humankind.
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the quality or condition of being human; human nature.
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the quality of being humane; kindness; benevolence.
- Synonyms:
- goodwill, tenderness, sympathy
- Antonyms:
- unkindness, inhumanity
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the humanities,
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the study of classical languages and classical literature.
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the Latin and Greek classics as a field of study.
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literature, philosophy, art, etc., as distinguished from the natural sciences.
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the study of literature, philosophy, art, etc.
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noun
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the human race
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the quality of being human
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kindness or mercy
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(plural) the study of literature, philosophy, and the arts
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the study of Ancient Greek and Roman language, literature, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of humanity
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English humanite, from Latin hūmānitās; equivalent to human + -ity
Explanation
Humanity is the human race, which includes everyone on Earth. It’s also a word for the qualities that make us human, such as the ability to love and have compassion, be creative, and not be a robot or alien. The word humanity is from the Latin humanitas for "human nature, kindness.” Humanity includes all the humans, but it can also refer to the kind feelings humans often have for each other. Awww. But when you talk about humanity, you could just be talking about people as a whole. When people do bad things, it tests your faith in humanity. When people ask for money to help feed starving children, they're appealing to your sense of humanity.
Vocabulary lists containing humanity
John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I have a lot of hope in humanity, in that case.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
"In the face of the emptiness of indifference and compliance, before the violence of war and lies, you must be the sparks of a new humanity," he told those gathered.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
Fujimori, 51, appeals to the mixed legacy of her late father, who stabilized the economy and defeated a Maoist insurgency, but was convicted of corruption and crimes against humanity.
From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026
The songs flow together in a cohesive manner, and it features performances in multiple languages — which is quite beautiful when you think about how death and grief are universally shared experiences across humanity.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
By treating us with respect, Schindler was resisting the Nazi racist ideology that constructed a hierarchy of humanity in which Jews were at the very bottom.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
