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humanities

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Humanities
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hu⋅man⋅i⋅ty

  [hyoo-man-i-tee or, often, yoo-]
Use humanities in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ties.
1. all human beings collectively; the human race; humankind.
2. the quality or condition of being human; human nature.
3. the quality of being humane; kindness; benevolence.
4. the humanities,
a. the study of classical languages and classical literature.
b. the Latin and Greek classics as a field of study.
c. literature, philosophy, art, etc., as distinguished from the natural sciences.
d. the study of literature, philosophy, art, etc.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME humanite < L hūmānitās. See human, -ity

Synonyms:
3. sympathy, tenderness, goodwill.

Antonyms:
3. inhumanity, unkindness.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Humanities
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hu·man·i·ty   (hyōō-mān'ĭ-tē)   
n.   pl. hu·man·i·ties

  1. Humans considered as a group; the human race.

  2. The condition or quality of being human.

  3. The quality of being humane; benevolence.

  4. A humane characteristic, attribute, or act.

  5. humanities

    1. The languages and literatures of ancient Greece and Rome; the classics.

    2. Those branches of knowledge, such as philosophy, literature, and art, that are concerned with human thought and culture; the liberal arts.


[Middle English humanite, from Old French, from Latin hūmānitās, from hūmānus, human; see human.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

humanities

One of the main branches of learning. A scholar of the humanities studies history, literature, the fine arts, and philosophy.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

humanity 
c.1384, from O.Fr. humanité, from L. humanitatem (nom. humanitas) "human nature, humanity," from humanus (see human). Originally in Eng. "kindness, graciousness;" sense of "human race" first recorded c.1450. Humanities (L. literæ humaniores) were those branches of literature (ancient classics, rhetoric, poetry) which tended to humanize or refine. Humanitarian (1819) originally was "one who affirms the humanity of Christ (but denies His divinity);" first used 1844 in modern sense of "one who advocates or practices human action;" usually disparaging at first, with a suggestion of excess.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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