humane

adjective

hu·​mane hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce humane (audio)
yü-
1
: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals
humane prison guards
a more humane way of treating farm animals
2
: characterized by or tending to broad humanistic culture : humanistic
humane studies
humanely adverb
humaneness noun

Examples of humane in a Sentence

It's not humane to treat animals that way. Conditions in the prison are more humane now.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The legislation would amend the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that the existing standards set under federal law for the humane care, treatment, and exhibition of some warm-blooded animals are extended to cover additional warm blooded and cold-blooded animals. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 31 Oct. 2024 The humane society dispatched emergency animal medical technician Hunter Stribling, who, along with Phoenix firefighters used a ladder and various devices to get Dorothea to safety. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024 Fogelman and Metz were recognized as groundbreaking for their humane, nonpatronizing portrayal of a plus-size woman as a mother, wife, daughter, and sister, not just as a vehicle for cultural commentary. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 26 Oct. 2024 By investing in employee development, offering job security and reimagining hiring practices, companies can create a more sustainable and humane business environment. Kushal Chordia, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for humane 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English humain

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of humane was in 1552

Dictionary Entries Near humane

Cite this Entry

“Humane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humane. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

humane

adjective
hu·​mane hyü-ˈmān How to pronounce humane (audio)
yü-
: marked by sympathy or consideration for others
humanely adverb
humaneness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on humane

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!