human

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See also: Human and humán

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Late Middle English humayne, humain, from Middle French humain, from Old French humain, umain, from Latin hūmānus m (of or belonging to a man, human, humane, adjective), from homo, with unclear ū. Spelling human has been predominant since the early 18th century.[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • enPR: hyo͞oʹmən, IPA(key): /ˈhjuː.mən/, [ˈçju̟mən], [ˈçju̟mn̩]
  • (NYC, some other dialects) IPA(key): /ˈju.mən/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -uːmən
  • Hyphenation: hu‧man

Adjective[edit]

human (comparative more human, superlative most human)

  1. (not comparable) Of or belonging to the species Homo sapiens or its closest relatives.
    • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. [] The First Part [], 2nd edition, part 1, London: [] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, [], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vi:
      Some powers diuine, or els infernall, mixt / Their angry ſeedes at his conception: / For he was neuer ſprong of humaine race, / Since with the ſpirit of his fearefull pride, / He dares so doubtleſly reſolue of rule.
    • 1660, [Richard Allestree], “Sect[ion] V. Of the Second Advantage, Wealth.”, in The Gentlemans Calling, London: [] T[imothy] Garthwait [], →OCLC, page 83:
      [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.
    • 2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:
      Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth.
  2. (comparable) Having the nature or attributes of a human being.
    To err is human; to forgive, divine.

Alternative forms[edit]

Synonyms[edit]

Antonyms[edit]

Hypernyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Terms derived from the adjective or noun human

Pages starting with “human”.

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun[edit]

Rendition of the humans on the Pioneer 10 plaque.

human (plural humans)

  1. (strictly, biology) The tallest, most abundant and most intelligent of primates; Homo sapiens.
    Synonyms: human being, man; see also Thesaurus:person
    Humans share common ancestors with other apes.
    • 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:
      Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola.
    • 2013 April 18, Rock Paper Cynic (webcomic):
      If I ever have to choose between a future where killer robots hunt humans or a future where bacon supplies have run out ... Let's just say you better start running.
    1. (fantasy, science fiction, mythology) A human as contrasted from superficially similar but typically more powerful humanoid creatures; a member of the human race.
      • 1994 March 29, Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes:
        Greetings. I am Blor-Utar from Zimtok-5. I have come to subjugate the human race. Do not resist. Why humans? Because, in addition to their value as slave labor, they are also delicious and nutritious!
    2. (fantasy, science fiction) A term of address for any human, often implying the listener's species is their only noteworthy trait.
      • 2011 December 29, Alex Culang, Raynato Castro, Buttersafe[2] (webcomic):
        Greetings, human! You have stumbled into the dimension of the Snow People. [] Flesh plows clear the streets to make them safe to drive. [] Does this shock you, human? Do the ways of our world open your eyes to the truths of your own?
  2. (broadly) Any hominid of the genus Homo.

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

human (third-person singular simple present humans, present participle humaning or humanning, simple past and past participle humaned or humanned)

  1. (rare) To behave as or become, or to cause to behave as or become, a human.
    • 1911, Ambrose Bierce, “Music”, in The collected works of Ambrose Bierce, volume 9, page 362:
      [] he sought to charm a single pair of ears, and those more hairy than critical. Later, as the race went on humaning, there grew complexity of sentiment and varying emotional needs, []
    • 2013, Biosocial Becomings, →ISBN, page 19:
      There are, then, many ways of humaning: these are the ways along which we make ourselves and, collaboratively, one another.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Random House Dictionary, 2010

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Cebuano[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • Hyphenation: hu‧man

Verb[edit]

human

  1. to finish

Adjective[edit]

human

  1. completed; done

Adverb[edit]

human

  1. after

Quotations[edit]

For quotations using this term, see Citations:human.

Danish[edit]

Adjective[edit]

human

  1. human (having the nature or attributes of a human being)
    Synonym: menneskelig
  2. humane (something done from love to humanity)

Inflection[edit]

Inflection of human
Positive Comparative Superlative
Indefinte common singular human 2
Indefinite neuter singular humant 2
Plural humane 2
Definite attributive1 humane
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

German[edit]

German Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia de

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

human (strong nominative masculine singular humaner, comparative humaner, superlative am humansten)

  1. humane
    Synonym: menschlich

Declension[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • human” in Duden online
  • human” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Interlingua[edit]

Adjective[edit]

human (comparative plus human, superlative le plus human)

  1. human
  2. humane

Derived terms[edit]

Northern Sami[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (Kautokeino) IPA(key): /ˈhuman/

Verb[edit]

human

  1. first-person singular present indicative of hupmat (speak, talk)

Norwegian Bokmål[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin hūmānus.

Adjective[edit]

human (neuter singular humant, definite singular and plural humane)

  1. humane

References[edit]

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin hūmānus.

Adjective[edit]

human (neuter singular humant, definite singular and plural humane)

  1. humane

References[edit]

Romansch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin hūmānus.

Adjective[edit]

human m (feminine singular humana, masculine plural humans, feminine plural humanas)

  1. (Sursilvan) human

Alternative forms[edit]

  • uman (Rumantsch Grischun, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Vallader)
  • umaun (Puter)

Noun[edit]

human m (plural humans; feminine humana, plural humanas)

  1. (Sursilvan) (male) human being
    Synonym: carstgaun

Alternative forms[edit]

  • uman (Rumantsch Grischun, Surmiran, Vallader)
  • umaun (Puter)

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /xûmaːn/
  • Hyphenation: hu‧man

Adjective[edit]

hȕmān (definite hȕmānī, comparative humaniji, Cyrillic spelling ху̏ма̄н)

  1. humane (with regard for the health and well-being of another; compassionate)

Declension[edit]

Spanish[edit]

Verb[edit]

human

  1. third-person plural present indicative of humar

Swedish[edit]

Adjective[edit]

human

  1. humane, decent, compassionate
    Deras politik har kritiserats för att inte vara human.
    Their politics have been criticised for being less than humane.
  2. (of prices) reasonable
    Det var ett humant pris.
    That was a reasonable price.

Declension[edit]

Inflection of human
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular human humanare humanast
Neuter singular humant humanare humanast
Plural humana humanare humanast
Masculine plural3 humane humanare humanast
Definite Positive Comparative Superlative
Masculine singular1 humane humanare humanaste
All humana humanare humanaste
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.
2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
3) Dated or archaic