Emily Dickinson Lexicon
Definition for HU-MAN'I-TY
HU-MAN-I-TA'RI-ANHU-MAN-I-ZA'TION
HU-MAN'I-TY, n. [L. humanitas; Fr. humanité.]
- The peculiar nature of man, by which he is distinguished from other beings. Thus Christ, by his incarnation, was invested with humanity.
- Mankind collectively; the human race. If he is able to untie those knots, he is able to teach all humanity. [Unusual.] Glanville. It is a debt we owe to humanity. S. S. Smith.
- The kind feelings, dispositions and sympathies of man, by which he is distinguished from the lower orders of animals; kindness; benevolence; especially, a disposition to relieve persons in distress, and to treat with tenderness those who are helpless and defenseless; opposed to cruelty.
- A disposition to treat the lower orders of animals with tenderness, or at least to give them no unnecessary pain.
- The exercise of kindness; acts of tenderness.
- Philology; grammatical studies. Johnson. Humanities, in the plural, signifies grammar, rhetoric and poetry; for teaching which there are professors in the universities of Scotland. Encyc.
Return to page 98 of the letter “H”.