Humanitarian

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Pronunciation: /hjʊˌmæ.nɪˈtɛː.ɹɪ.ən/

Definitions

1. A person who is concerned with promoting human welfare and reducing suffering, or relating to the philosophy of prioritizing human interests and wellbeing
2. An individual dedicated to improving human welfare by alleviating suffering and advocating for the prioritization of health and well-being
3. A person who works to enhance the quality of life for others through acts of compassion and support while emphasizing the importance of human rights

Etymology: The word grew from "humanity" plus the suffix "-arian", the ending that marks an advocate of or believer in something, as in "Unitarian". That shared ending is the surprise here: a term for people who care about human welfare was modelled on the name of a religious movement that rejected the Trinity. The choice links two very different causes, with "humanitarian" likely coined on the pattern of "Unitarian" rather than from any classical source. The sense it carries today, a person devoted to easing suffering and putting health and well-being first, came about through that same suffix. "Humanity" once meant broadly human nature or the human race, and the "-arian" ending turned it into a label for a believer in human welfare as a cause. The result is a word that names a doctrine of compassion before it names the people who practise it.

Synonyms: philanthropic, altruistic

Antonyms: inhumane, cruel