humanity
Americannoun
-
humanities
plural
-
all human beings collectively; the human race; humankind.
-
the quality or condition of being human; human nature.
-
the quality of being humane; kindness; benevolence.
- Synonyms:
- goodwill, tenderness, sympathy
- Antonyms:
- unkindness, inhumanity
-
the humanities,
-
the study of classical languages and classical literature.
-
the Latin and Greek classics as a field of study.
-
literature, philosophy, art, etc., as distinguished from the natural sciences.
-
the study of literature, philosophy, art, etc.
-
noun
-
the human race
-
the quality of being human
-
kindness or mercy
-
(plural) the study of literature, philosophy, and the arts
-
the study of Ancient Greek and Roman language, literature, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
In 2024, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, also based in The Hague, asked judges for an arrest warrant for Myanmar's junta chief Min Aung Hlaing over alleged crimes against humanity.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
He argued for the need to construe these amendments in the light of humanity, “in the light of progress and civilization” that we want to see.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026
"Halzen's work, and the work of those he inspired with his vision, was foundational in giving humanity a new window on the universe and on the mysterious and notoriously slippery neutrino," he stated.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
As portrayed by an excellent Samantha Sloyan, Margaret still punishes Carrie by frequently shoving her into a prayer closet, but she’s also more grounded in her humanity.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
His personality, presence, and witness said something extraordinary about the humanity of people directly impacted by systemic abuse.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Those who see the humanities, heavy coursework and value of a Harvard education as gravely imperiled can take heart in the phenomenon that is Humanities 10.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Today he serves as provost professor of humanities and arts at USC.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
That numbers-backed thinking means engineers, software developers or entrepreneurs might all find it more appealing than humanities graduates, Lechterman said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Many people with Ph.D.s in social sciences and humanities don’t want to work in business, and businesses may be loath to hire them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
In such classrooms, before students who were so anxious and uncertain of their social advancement, the enlarging lessons of the humanities seemed an irrelevance.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
