mankind

noun

man·​kind
singular or plural in construction
1
ˈman-ˈkīnd How to pronounce mankind (audio)
-ˌkīnd
: the human race : the totality of human beings
2
ˈman-ˌkīnd How to pronounce mankind (audio) : men especially as distinguished from women

Examples of mankind in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Amazon The whole of the history of civilization was a prelude, a mere warm-up, to the moment mankind invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Nena Farrell, WIRED, 11 Oct. 2023 The current fight could be one step forward for UAW employees and two steps forward for mankind (or all of mankind who wants a four day workweek). Chloe Berger, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2023 Learn the Legends of the Northern Lights There are countless legends about the northern lights – mankind’s attempt to explain a seemingly incomprehensible phenomenon. Debbie Olsen, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2023 Daryl’s breakdowns are rare; In a show full of displays of mankind’s chaotic nature, Daryl tends to maintain a stiff upper lip. Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2023 The story takes place in nature, away from the destruction of the post-apocalyptic virus that has wiped out mankind. Sophia Scorziello, Variety, 9 Aug. 2023 Others are less well-studied and are just emerging as having a potential benefit to mankind. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 23 Sep. 2023 As the debate about how AI will shape mankind’s future rages on, some tech experts have insisted the technology will coexist with workers rather than replace them, and even fuel a strong labor market by creating new jobs. Chloe Taylor, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2023 John David Washington plays an ex-special forces agent hired to hunt down the AI Creator, who is about to unleash a weapon with the power to end mankind. Joey Morona, cleveland, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mankind.' 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

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mankind was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near mankind

Cite this Entry

“Mankind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mankind. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

mankind

noun
man·​kind
1
ˈman-ˈkīnd,
-ˌkīnd
: the human race : all human beings
2
-ˌkīnd
: men rather than women

Medical Definition

mankind

noun singular but singular or plural in construction
: the human race : the totality of human beings

More from Merriam-Webster on mankind

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