human English · revision 2492

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1450|origins=la homō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhjuː.mən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|humain]] (also [[m|enm|humayne]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|humain|t=of or belonging to man]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|hūmānus|t=of man, human; humane, kind]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) related to [[m|la|homō|t=man, human being]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966)^(SOED 2002) Etymonline traces it in part to [[ine-pro|*dhghem-|t=earth]], so that a human being was an “earthling” as opposed to the gods, though the sound changes are not settled;^(Etymonline) Klein compares [[m|la|humus|t=earth]].^(Klein 1966) The same root gave Old English [[m|ang|guma|t=man]], which survives only in [[bridegroom]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) It is related to [[humane]], [[humble]], [[homage]] and [[homicide]].^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or belonging to man: probably about 1450,^(Barnhart 1988) or the mid-15th century.^(Etymonline) Hoad and Merriam-Webster date the word to the 14th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ At first ''human'' and ''humane'' were the same word, used interchangeably until the 18th century,^(Cresswell 2021) when ''humane'' was limited to the senses “kind, compassionate”^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986) and ''human'' kept the general and scientific ones.^(Cresswell 2021) Hoad notes that the spelling ''humane'' was the usual one until the early 18th century, while ''human'', based directly on Latin, appears in the late 17th.^(Hoad 1986) The noun, “a human being”, is from 1509^(HTOED) or the 1530s.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''Human nature'' is from the 1580s, ''human rights'' from the 1650s, ''human being'' from the 1670s and ''human interest'' from 1779.^(Etymonline) The sense “showing the qualities of a human being” is from 1837.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1450 – of or belonging to man.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1509 – noun, a human being.^(HTOED)

+ * 1580s – ''human nature''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1650s – ''human rights''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1670s – ''human being''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 18th century – split from ''humane''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * 1779 – ''human interest''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1837 – having human qualities.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or relating to people, as distinct from animals or machines.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Showing the better qualities of people, such as kindness.^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+ # Subject to human weakness: ''only human''.^(AHD)

+ # Having the form of a person.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[human being]]; a person.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[humanhood]]

+ * [[humanness]]

+ * [[humanlike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[humane]]

+ * [[humanitarian]]

+ * [[humanitarianism]]

+ * [[humanity]]

+ * [[humble]]

+ * [[homage]]

+ * [[homicide]]

+ * [[humus]]

+ * [[bridegroom]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}