human capital

noun

: the skills, knowledge, and qualifications of a person, group, or workforce considered as economic assets

Nothing is more important to a company, nation, or individual than intelligence. It is the fundamental key to problem-solving and wealth creation, and underpins the human capital that drives every company and nation forward.

—Peter H. Diamandis

In fact, the evidence suggests that public investments in human capital, including higher education, yield long-term economic rates of return that far exceed most standard investments in technology or capital.

—Edward L. Glaeser

All of this coincided with the emergence in academe of the idea of "human capital": the notion that the more skilled the work force, the more productive it tends to be.

—Denis P. Doyle et al.

Examples of human capital in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Niki Jorgensen, managing director of client implementation at Insperity, specializes in human capital management and HR infrastructure. —Niki Jorgensen, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025

Zorn and her team will advise family office clients on structure and design, family governance, operational efficiency, and board, leadership, philanthropic and human capital advisory. —Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Zorn and her team will advise family office clients on structure and design, family governance, operational efficiency and board, leadership, philanthropic and human capital advisory. —Katcy Stephan, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025

A lot of these hackers find humans as the most vulnerable and easy way to hack the system, so enabling that human capital to be a robust wall in front of these attacks is important. —Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for human capital

• capitol
• noncapital