humanitarian

American  

[hyoo-man-i-tair-ee-uhn, yoo-] / hjuˌmæn ɪˈtɛər i ən, ju- /

adjective

1. having concern for or helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people.

2. of or relating to ethical or theological humanitarianism.

3. pertaining to the saving of human lives or to the alleviation of suffering.

   a humanitarian crisis.

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noun

• humanitarians
  plural

1. a person actively engaged in promoting human welfare and social reforms, as a philanthropist.

2. a person who professes ethical or theological humanitarianism.

humanitarian British  

/ hjuːˌmænɪˈtɛərɪən /

adjective

1. having the interests of mankind at heart

2. of or relating to ethical or theological humanitarianism

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noun

1. a philanthropist

2. an adherent of humanitarianism

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antihumanitarian
  adjective
• semihumanitarian
  adjective
• unhumanitarian
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• humanitarians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of humanitarian

First recorded in 1810–20; humanit(y) + -arian

Explanation

Despite many jokes to the contrary, a humanitarian is not someone who eats humans (as a vegetarian eats vegetables)! A humanitarian is a person concerned with the welfare of all humankind. A millionaire would be considered a great humanitarian if he donated much of his wealth for improving education, housing, and food for the poor. As an adjective, humanitarian is used to describe something or someone who displays the characteristics of someone concerned with human welfare: "The humanitarian project was developed to help women become self-sufficient in third world countries."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

humanitarian humanitarians

American doctors and nurses volunteering in the Gaza Strip have helped the world understand the humanitarian crisis unfolding there.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

This has triggered a humanitarian crisis marked by rolling blackouts, the collapse of tourism, agricultural shortages and worsened medical care.

From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026

The East SOS Foundation, a Ukrainian humanitarian and human-rights organization, has gathered testimony from librarians and teachers who saw books destroyed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

"But just calling it out will not protect the next aid worker. States must uphold international humanitarian law and use every tool to protect civilians and our colleagues," he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

I am making books, documentaries, and speeches, and I am meeting interesting people, doing social media campaigns, and engaging in humanitarian work.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai

From remote-controlled trucks delivering life-saving aid in dangerous settings to mobile phone data analysis flagging mass displacement, humanitarians are eyeing ways in which artificial intelligence can speed up and improve their operations.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

But thank God we have humanitarians like Jeff and Janine Yass who still believe in lifting them up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

The designation, humanitarians say, in effect outlaws aid deliveries to areas under Houthi control, where 70% of the population resides.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026

By early January, humanitarians were preparing to expand operations.

From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2025

What seriously concerns our humanitarians is the service of mankind.

From The Jessica Letters: An Editor's Romance by Paul Elmer More

Related Words

• altruistic
• charitable
• humane
• philanthropic