human

noun

: a bipedal primate mammal (Homo sapiens) : a person : man sense 1c

—usually plural

a disease that affects both humans and animals

… incomprehensible to us humans.

—William James

broadly : hominid

… the least developed of all ancestral humans

—A. L. Kroeber

humanlike

ˈhyü-mən-ˌlīk 

ˈyü-

adjective

Synonyms of human

• person
• life
• man
• guy
• creature
• individual

Examples of human in a Sentence

humans are the only mammals not endowed with a natural defense against the elements, such as fur or a thick hide

Recent Examples on the Web

Paul Rogers, a DNR fire prevention specialist, said 80% of the fires that get out of control every year in Michigan are caused by humans, with many of those fires starting as small, intended burns. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 4 June 2026

This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans. —Bay Area Home Report, Mercury News, 4 June 2026

While Toregem wants to bring its treatment to market by 2030, experts have some lingering doubts whether the approach can actually work in humans. —Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 4 June 2026

Tens of thousands of years ago, humans began domesticating wild wolves to make hunting, gathering food and protection easier, according to Science News. —K'mari Greene, AJC.com, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing human

• a human chain
• human being
• human capital
• human chattel
• human chorionic gonadotropin
• human contact
• human ecology
• human engineering
• human error
• human factors
• human granulocytic anaplasmosis
• human granulocytic ehrlichiosis
• human growth hormone
• human immunodeficiency virus
• human interest
• human-interest story
• human leukocyte antigen
• human metapneumovirus
• human nature
• human papillomavirus
• human relations
• human remains
• human resources
• human right
• human rights
• human rights abuse
• human shield
• human trafficking
• milk of human kindness
• put a human face on
• the human animal
• the human condition
• the human race
• the milk of human kindness
• to err is human

Rhymes for human

• crewman
• crewmen
• cumin
• lumen
• numen
• rumen
• suman
• acumen
• albumen
• albumin
• bitumen
• cerumen

Kids Definition

human

1 of 2 adjective

hu·​man ˈhyü-mən 

ˈyü-

1

: relating to or characteristic of human beings

especially : showing qualities typical of human beings

a human failing

2

: consisting of or involving human beings

human spaceflight

3

: having human form or characteristics

the dog's expression was almost human

humanness

-mən-nəs 

noun

human

2 of 2 noun

: a human being

humanlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

Medical Definition

human

1 of 2 adjective

hu·​man ˈhyü-mən  ˈyü- 

1

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of humans

the human body

human biochemistry

b

: primarily or usually harbored by, affecting, or attacking humans

human diseases

human parasites

2

: being or consisting of humans

the human race

3

: consisting of members of the genus Homo

humanness

-mən-nəs 

noun

human

2 of 2 noun

: a bipedal primate mammal of the genus Homo (H. sapiens)

broadly : any living or extinct member of the genus Homo

humanlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective