humanity
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
all people in the world as a single group.
the human race or species considered collectively. Uncountable in this sense.
Simple“The future of humanity depends on how we treat our planet today.”
In context“The philosopher argued that the survival of humanity requires a fundamental shift in how we perceive our relationship with the natural world.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the quality of being kind, caring, and sympathetic toward others.
the quality of being benevolent or showing compassion toward others. Often used to describe ethical behaviour in difficult situations.
Simple“The doctor treated all his patients with great humanity and respect.”
In context“Even in the midst of the conflict, there were remarkable acts of humanity that transcended political divisions.”
SynonymsAntonymscrueltyinhumanity - 03 C1 Advanced
the state or quality of being a human being.
the condition or essential nature of being human, including both strengths and flaws.
Simple“The book explores the dark side of humanity through its complex characters.”
In context“The play examines the fragility of our common humanity when faced with extreme isolation and fear.”
Synonymshuman naturemortality - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
subjects of study that focus on human culture, such as history, literature, and philosophy.
the branches of learning concerned with human culture; usually used in the plural form 'the humanities'.
Simple“She decided to study the humanities because she loved reading and history.”
In context“The university is increasing its funding for the humanities to encourage more students to engage with classical literature and ethics.”
UsageAlmost always used in the plural form 'the humanities' when referring to academic departments.
“It is also a reminder that some experiences still belong not to nations or individuals, but to humanity as a whole.”
“Min Aung Hlaing is wanted by the international criminal court for crimes against humanity against the Muslim Rohingya minority .”
Inherited from Middle English humanyte, humanite, humanitye. By surface analysis, human or humane + -ity. Partly displaced mankind, from Old English mancynn (literally “human race”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.