humanism

American  

[hyoo-muh-niz-uhm, yoo-] / ˈhyu məˌnɪz əm, ˈyu- /

noun

1. any system or mode of thought or action in which human interests, values, and dignity predominate.

2. devotion to or study of the humanities.

3. (sometimes initial capital letter) the studies, principles, or culture of the humanists.

4. Philosophy. a variety of ethical theory and practice that emphasizes reason, scientific inquiry, and human fulfillment in the natural world and often rejects the importance of belief in God.

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humanism British  

/ ˈhjuːməˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. the denial of any power or moral value superior to that of humanity; the rejection of religion in favour of a belief in the advancement of humanity by its own efforts

2. a philosophical position that stresses the autonomy of human reason in contradistinction to the authority of the Church

3. (often capital) a cultural movement of the Renaissance, based on classical studies

4. interest in the welfare of people

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Other Word Forms

• antihumanism noun
• humanist noun
• humanistic adjective
• semihumanism noun

Etymology

Origin of humanism

First recorded in 1805–15; human + -ism

Example Sentences

At its best, “The Innocents of Florence” is an example of a complicated humanism: An empathetic study of the perpetual interplay between good intentions, human frailties and imperfect outcomes.

From The Wall Street Journal

What the best of Gehry’s late projects have in common is not only virtuosity in their form-making, but also a remarkable kind of humanism.

From Los Angeles Times

Divided into three sections hinged together by a through-line of humanism, Elizabeth Alexander reminds the reader that Jordan “was a prolific poet whose lyrical voice linked political struggle with an ethic of love.”

From Salon

The United States’ unique brand of humanism, with its emphasis on the individual and risk-taking, has shaped a form of free-market capitalism that continues to drive progress.

From The Wall Street Journal

Playwrights and directors have a duty to guide audiences through the brave new technological world that is overturning many of the bedrock assumptions of humanism since the Renaissance.

From Los Angeles Times