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
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.
She said Thompson's career had given audiences "real insight into humanity" through her work on screen and in literature.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Kovalchuk publicly praised the 1968 Soviet movie “Dead Season,” in which the CIA conspires with former Nazi doctors to control humanity.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
Is that how you feel personally about the future of the country, and humanity?
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
Pope Leo’s first encyclical makes the moral case for humanity against ungoverned AI.
From Slate • May 28, 2026
Reading this literature, these books, led me to the canvas of my own humanity.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
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.
