humanitarian
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.connected with helping people who are suffering and improving their lives.
adj.concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare, particularly in the context of alleviating suffering during crises.
Simple“The government sent humanitarian aid to the families affected by the earthquake.”
In context“International agencies are calling for a humanitarian corridor to ensure that food and medical supplies reach the besieged city safely.”
Synonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
adj.a rare word for the belief that Jesus was a human being and not a god.
adj.pertaining to the theological belief that Jesus Christ was purely human and possessed no divine nature.
Simple“The professor explained the humanitarian view of Christ in early church history.”
In context“The thesis explores the development of humanitarian christology within certain nineteenth-century radical theological circles.”
UsageThis sense is restricted to academic or theological discussions.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.an old word for someone who follows the philosophy of humanism.
n.a historical synonym for a humanist, referring to an adherent of the philosophy of humanism.
Simple“In the old book, the author describes himself as a humanitarian and a lover of science.”
In context“The nineteenth-century text uses the term humanitarian to describe those who rejected supernaturalism in favour of human-centred ethics.”
Teacher's tipIn modern English, 'humanist' is almost always used instead of 'humanitarian' for this philosophical meaning.
Synonyms
Usage humanitarian aid · humanitarian assistance · humanitarian crisis
“Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine has left civilians vulnerable to repeated deadly attacks and humanitarian workers and key facilities being targeted and destroyed.”
“UN agencies and partners are facing mounting challenges that are affecting the delivery of essential services across Gaza, choking humanitarian movement and operational capacity.”
From humanity + -arian (suffix indicating an advocate of or believer in something), possibly modelled after Unitarian (“Christian who does not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity; pertaining to Unitarianism”) (see noun sense 2 and verb sense 2).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.