adjective
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of, relating to, or designating animals that are below man ( Homo sapiens ) in evolutionary development
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less than human
Etymology
Origin of subhuman
Explanation
Subhuman words and actions aren't worthy of a human being. Stealing a toy from a child is a subhuman thing to do. Sub- means “below” or “under.” Just as a submarine is below the surface of the ocean, something subhuman is below what is appropriate for human beings. In science fiction, creatures from another planet might be described as subhuman if their civilization is less advanced than ours. Here on Earth, subhuman is often used to describe cruel behavior. Unfortunately, humans do lots of subhuman things.
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.
“It was subhuman conditions — and then there’s the toll it takes on your mind.”
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 31, 2023
The Equal Protection Clause was ratified not to make white people colorblind, but rather to ensure that Black people were no longer treated as subhuman.
From Salon • Jul. 5, 2023
More than that, it’s important to remember that superhuman and subhuman are both something other than human.
From Slate • Oct. 11, 2019
The everyday stares, comments, and subhuman treatment acted as a constant reminder of my painful medical history and my perceived shortcomings.
From New York Times • Nov. 3, 2016
In the Two Minutes Hate he could not help sharing in the general delirium, but this subhuman chanting of “B-B! . . . B-B!” always filled him with horror.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
