humankind

noun

hu·​man·​kind ˈhyü-mən-ˌkīnd How to pronounce humankind (audio)
ˈyü-
singular or plural in construction
: the human race : humanity

Examples of humankind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Inamori created the Kyoto Prize in reflection of his belief that people have no higher calling than to strive for the greater good of humankind and society, and that the future of humanity can be assured only when there is a balance between scientific progress and spiritual depth. Dean Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 During the course, King was part of a team tasked with identifying research that could be conducted in space with the best potential impact on humankind. Grace Browne, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024 Since the dawn of the space age in the 1950s, humankind has launched almost 50,000 tons of material into space. USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 Civil engineers, mechanical engineers, nuclear engineers, and others are tasked to build infrastructure that humankind relies on, and they are expected to solve problems. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024 Beyond culinary delight, the food is meant to inspire a discussion on humankind’s role in protecting the planet. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. CNN — On July 20, 1969, the world watched as humankind landed on the moon for the first time. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024 Among the many events forecasted for 2023, Nostradamus (or to be more precise, Nostradamus interpreters) predicted a great war, an economy so bad that humankind might resort to cannibalism, and … something … that could happen with or on Mars. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 25 Dec. 2023 Conway imagines a world in which humankind succeeds in replacing most of its fossil fuels with renewable alternatives and in which energy is clean and abundant. Barry Eichengreen, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'humankind.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of humankind was in 1560

Dictionary Entries Near humankind

Cite this Entry

“Humankind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humankind. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

humankind

noun
hu·​man·​kind ˈhyü-mən-ˌkīnd How to pronounce humankind (audio)
ˈyü-

Medical Definition

humankind

noun
hu·​man·​kind ˈhyü-mən-ˌkīnd How to pronounce humankind (audio) ˈyü How to pronounce humankind (audio)
: the human race

More from Merriam-Webster on humankind

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