Meanings
comparative humaner · comparative more humane · superlative humanest · superlative most humane
- Having or showing concern for the pain or suffering of another; compassionate.
It is no longer considered humane to perform vivisection on research animals.
2 more examples
As methods of execution go, beheading is more humane than drawing and quartering.
The unfortunate thing about Bando, said Arthur, is that it is no longer to be obtained in this unfortunate country. I understand that inferior products, such as Ostreine and Spanish Flies, may still be wheedled out of some of the humaner chemists, up and down the city, in the ten minutes or a quarter of an hour immediately following their midday meal.
1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC - Pertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the humanities, especially classical literature or rhetoric.
many divine precepts to counterpoise our hearts, special antidotes both in scriptures and humane authors, which who so will observe, shall purchase much ease and quietness unto himself.
1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 7 - obsoleteObsolete spelling of human.
[N]o attempt is made to call in God to their reſcue, as if he vvere an idle unconcern'd ſpectator of humane affairs, or ſo inconſiderable an ally, as not to be vvorth the care of engaging him on their ſide.
1660, [Richard Allestree], “Sect[ion] V. Of the Second Advantage, Wealth.”, in The Gentlemans Calling, London: […] T[imothy] Garthwait […], →OCLC, page 83
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivepertaining to or concerned with the humanities
adjectivemarked or motivated by concern with the alleviation of suffering
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinhomō“man”
- Latinhūmānus
- Old Frenchhumain
- Middle Englishhumain
- Englishhumane
From Middle English humain, humayne, from Old French humain, umain, from Latin hūmānus, from Latin homō (“man”). Cognate with Old English guma (“man”), whence the groom in English bridegroom.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic إِنْسَانِيّ
- إِنْسَانِيّ (ʔinsāniyy)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Bulgarian хума́нен, чове́чен
- хума́нен (humánen)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- чове́чен (čovéčen)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- хуманита́рен (humanitáren)pertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the [[humanities]]
Catalan humà
- humàwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Chinese Mandarin 有人情, 人道的
- 有人情 (yǒurénqíng)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- 人道的 (réndào de)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Czech lidský, humánní
- lidskýwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- humánníwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Danish human, menneskelig
- humanwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- menneskeligwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Dutch humaan, menselijk
- humaanwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- menselijkwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Esperanto humana, homama
- humanawith regard for the health and well-being of another
- homamawith regard for the health and well-being of another
Estonian inimlik
- inimlikwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Finnish inhimillinen
- inhimillinenwith regard for the health and well-being of another
French humain, humain
- humainwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- humainpertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the [[humanities]]
German human, menschlich
- humanwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- menschlichwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Hebrew אֱנוֹשִׁי
- אֱנוֹשִׁי (enoshí)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Hindi मानवोचित
- मानवोचित (mānvocit)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Hungarian humánus, emberséges
- humánuswith regard for the health and well-being of another
- emberségeswith regard for the health and well-being of another
Icelandic mannúðlegur
- mannúðlegurwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Irish Críostúil, daonna
- Críostúilwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- daonnawith regard for the health and well-being of another
- daonnachtúilwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Italian umano
- umanowith regard for the health and well-being of another
Japanese 人道的
- 人道的 (jindōteki)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Korean 인도적
- 인도적 (indojeok)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Latvian cilvēcīgs, humāns
- cilvēcīgswith regard for the health and well-being of another
- humānswith regard for the health and well-being of another
Lithuanian žmogiškas, humaniškas
- žmogiškaswith regard for the health and well-being of another
- humaniškaswith regard for the health and well-being of another
Māori ngākau aroha
- ngākau arohawith regard for the health and well-being of another
Norwegian Bokmål human, menneskelig
- humanwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- menneskeligwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Persian انسانی
- انسانی (ensâni)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Polish ludzki, humanitarny
- ludzkiwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- humanitarnywith regard for the health and well-being of another
- humanitarnypertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the [[humanities]]
Portuguese humano
- humanowith regard for the health and well-being of another
Romanian omenos, uman
- omenoswith regard for the health and well-being of another
- umanwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Russian челове́чный, гума́нный
- челове́чный (čelovéčnyj)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- гума́нный (gumánnyj)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- челове́ческий (čelovéčeskij)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- гуманита́рный (gumanitárnyj)pertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the [[humanities]]
Scottish Gaelic truacanta
- truacantawith regard for the health and well-being of another
Slovak ľudský, humánny
- ľudskýwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- humánnywith regard for the health and well-being of another
Spanish humano
- humanowith regard for the health and well-being of another
Swedish human, mänsklig
- humanwith regard for the health and well-being of another
- mänskligwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Tagalog makatao
- makataowith regard for the health and well-being of another
Turkish insancıl
- insancılwith regard for the health and well-being of another
Ukrainian гума́нний, лю́дяний
- гума́нний (humánnyj)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- лю́дяний (ljúdjanyj)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- лю́дський (ljúdsʹkyj)with regard for the health and well-being of another
- гуманіта́рний (humanitárnyj)pertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the [[humanities]]
Yiddish מענטשלעך
- מענטשלעך (mentshlekh)with regard for the health and well-being of another
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with humane
Anagrams
Cite this entry
humane. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/humane
“humane.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/humane. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “humane,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/humane.
Source: humane on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.