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• plural of humanity.

humanities

Cultural  

1. One of the main branches of learning. A scholar of the humanities studies history, literature, the fine arts, and philosophy.

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Explanation

The humanities are studies about human culture, such as literature, philosophy, and history. Studying the humanities gives you general knowledge, but not a practical trade — you probably wouldn’t study humanities at beauty school. If you're studying to be a dentist or a blacksmith, you're learning to be something in particular. Studying the humanities is different. The humanities provide general knowledge about the best accomplishments of human beings throughout history. Learning the works of Shakespeare, Plato, and Beethoven is part of the humanities. The humanities make a person educated, but not necessarily for a specific profession. Most people require a more specific area of study beyond the humanities.

Example Sentences

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humanities

An additional 1,600, including those in humanities, social sciences and arts, later joined to argue that verbal reasoning and writing skills were lacking too.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Dr Michael Lambert, a lecturer in medical humanities at Lancaster University, studied hundreds of national and regional archive documents to build a picture of how and why Stephen Holt - and other infants - died.

From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026

After the color guard and the national anthem, Ruth R. Wisse made her way to the podium to deliver the annual Jefferson Lecture, the nation’s highest honor in the humanities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

In fact, as both were in their twenties, they did not have much experience in anything at all—certainly not in anything remotely related to the humanities.

From Slate ● May 14, 2026

In humanities class, Ms. Steck concentrates on our previous discussion about Plato’s Allegory of the Cave.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King