humanity
11 synonyms and 3 antonyms for humanity, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — People as a whole; the human race.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
People as a whole; the human race.
“Clean water should be a basic right for humanity everywhere.”
2. noun
Kindness, compassion, and other qualities considered typically human.
“The nurse treated every patient with great humanity.”
Opposites
How to use humanity
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
crimes against humanity
a sense of humanity
all of humanity
Etymology
From Old French humanité, from Latin hūmānitās, built from hūmānus ("human").
Full origin of humanity →Frequently asked questions
What does “humanity” mean?
The word “humanity” means people as a whole; the human race. In plain terms, either people as a group, or the quality of being kind and compassionate.
How do you pronounce “humanity”?
“Humanity” is pronounced hyoo-MA-nih-tee (/hjuˈmænɪti/ in IPA).
How do you use “humanity” in a sentence?
Here is “humanity” used in a sentence: “The discovery could benefit all of humanity.”
What part of speech is “humanity”?
“Humanity” is a noun.
Where does the word “humanity” come from?
The word “humanity” comes from Latin. From Old French humanité, from Latin hūmānitās, built from hūmānus ("human").
Is “humanity” a common word?
“Humanity” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “humanity” have?
“Humanity” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: people as a whole; the human race.
What is the difference between "humanity" and "mankind"?
Both can mean the human race as a whole, but "humanity" also carries the sense of compassion and kindness, while "mankind" refers only to people collectively. Many writers now prefer "humanity" or "humankind" as gender-neutral alternatives to "mankind."
What is the difference between "humanity" and "the humanities"?
"Humanity" (singular) means the human race or the quality of being kind, whereas "the humanities" (plural, with "the") refers to academic subjects such as literature, history, and philosophy. The two are related in origin but used quite differently.
What is the difference between "humanity" and "humility"?
The words look similar but differ in meaning: "humanity" means the human race or the quality of compassion, while "humility" means being humble or modest. They are easily confused in writing but are not synonyms.
