hu·man·i·tar·i·an

[hyoo-man-i-tair-ee-uhn or, often, yoo-]
adjective
1.
having concern for or helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people.
2.
of or pertaining to ethical or theological humanitarianism.
3.
pertaining to the saving of human lives or to the alleviation of suffering: a humanitarian crisis.
noun
4.
a person actively engaged in promoting human welfare and social reforms, as a philanthropist.
5.
a person who professes ethical or theological humanitarianism.
00:10
Humanitarian has a plethora of syllables.
So is cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine. Does it mean:
a white, crystalline, water-insoluble, powerful high explosive, C3H6N6O6, used chiefly in bombs and shells.
the estimation of something as valueless (encountered mainly as an example of one of the longest words in the English language).

Origin:
1810–20; humanit(y) + -arian

an·ti·hu·man·i·tar·i·an, adjective, noun
sem·i·hu·man·i·tar·i·an, adjective, noun
un·hu·man·i·tar·i·an, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To humanitarian
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World English Dictionary
humanitarian (hjuːˌmænɪˈtɛərɪən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  having the interests of mankind at heart
2.  of or relating to ethical or theological humanitarianism
 
n
3.  a philanthropist
4.  an adherent of humanitarianism

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Example sentences
Their argument was caricatured by critics as purely humanitarian but was in
  fact strategic.
The path of the future will find a broader objective in the direction indicated
  by the humanitarian path.
Imperialism has always been more humanitarian than terrorism.
But bad weather also meant that humanitarian airlifts probably would be halted
  and visits from foreign dignitaries delayed.
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