'humanistic' originates from Late Latin/New Latin, specifically the formation from 'humanisticus' which derives from Latin 'humanus' where 'humanus' meant 'human' or 'pertaining to people'.

'humanus' in Latin gave rise to Renaissance Latin terms relating to 'humanities' and 'humanism'; from these came Renaissance/early modern usages in European languages (e.g. French 'humanisme' and adjective forms), and English adopted the adjective 'humanistic' (formed from 'humanism') by the 19th century.

Initially it referred mainly to matters of the humanities and the study of classical human culture ('relating to the humanities' or 'to humanist studies'), but over time it broadened to include a general sense of emphasizing human welfare, dignity, and humanitarian values.