Etymologically
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humane

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Forms

hūmānē (comparative hūmānius, superlative hūmānissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin hūmānus (“human; kind”) + -ē.[2][1] The adjective is related to homō (“human being”),[2] which de Vaan derives from Proto-Indo-European *dʰǵʰ(e)m-ōn (“earthling”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Terence,[4] whose Adelphoe has vix humane patitur, “he hardly puts up with it reasonably”.[2]

Semantic evolution

The first sense is “in a manner befitting a human being, reasonably”, which Cicero, Caelius, Horace and Petronius use;[2] with verbs of bearing it means “with the forbearance proper to a human being”: in the Tusculan Disputations some bear illness patiently and humane.[2] From Cicero's letters on it also means “kindly, courteously”, with the superlative humanissime.[2] The jurists use the comparative humanius of a milder interpretation or treatment.[2]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it in the Adelphoe.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of bearing illness and, in his letters, of acting kindly.[2][4]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius has nimis quam humane, “very kindly”.[2][4]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. As befits a human being, reasonably; with forbearance or moderation.[2]
  2. Kindly, courteously, in a friendly way.[2][1]
  3. (law, comparative) More leniently.[2]

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes it from hūmānitus, “in a human manner” with regard to human weakness and mortality: humane and hūmāniter refer to a person's capacity for cultivation, humane facere being the fruit of moral and humaniter facere of social cultivation.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper