nonhuman

adjective

non·​hu·​man ˌnän-ˈhyü-mən How to pronounce nonhuman (audio)
-ˈyü-
: not human: such as
a
: being other than a human being
a nonhuman primate/animal
b
: not belonging to, appropriate to, or produced by human beings
nonhuman noises
nonhuman cells
nonhuman noun
Discarding the doctrine of human dignity can mean lowering the moral status of humans or raising the moral status of nonhumans, and Mr. Rachels's emphasis is ultimately on the latter. Robert Wright

Examples of nonhuman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From animal welfare to AI models, research often frames questions in ways that center human priorities and exclude nonhuman perspectives. Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 8 Oct. 2025 In the 21st century, the moral entrepreneurs include media personalities and social influencers as well as the nonhuman bots and algorithms whose authority is derived by constructing the illusion of broad consensus. Ron Barrett, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025 Water tests found that the channel contains nonhuman fecal DNA. Adrian Rodriguez, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025 Humans get a head-start over nonhuman spirits or creatures called yaoguai. Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nonhuman

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonhuman was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Nonhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonhuman. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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