Humanity

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Humanity

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

hyoo-MAN-ih-tee  /hjuːˈmænɪti/

Definition

Human beings collectively; the human race; the quality of being human; compassionate or benevolent behaviour toward others; (the humanities) the academic study of human culture — including literature, history, philosophy, art, and languages.

Plain meaning

Humanity means human beings as a whole — all people everywhere. It also means compassion and kindness toward others — showing humanity means treating people with warmth and care. The humanities are the academic subjects that study human culture and expression: history, literature, philosophy, art, and languages. A crime against humanity is a serious violation of international law targeting civilian populations.

Register

Formal to elevated in most uses. Humanity in the sense of the human race is neutral and widely used. Humanity in the sense of compassion carries positive moral weight. The humanities is a standard academic term. Crimes against humanity is a precise legal term with grave implications.