humanitarians
|hu-man-i-ta-ri-ans|
🇺🇸
/hjuːˌmænɪˈtɛriənz/
🇬🇧
/hjuːˌmænɪˈteəriənz/
(humanitarian)
human welfare
Etymology
'humanitarian' originates from French, specifically the word 'humanitaire', formed in the late 18th to early 19th century from 'humanité' (French for 'humanity').
'humanitarian' entered English in the early 19th century from French 'humanitaire', which itself comes from Latin-rooted 'humanitas' (Latin), ultimately from 'humanus' meaning 'human'.
Initially related to 'human nature' and 'humanity' (qualities of being human), it evolved to mean 'concerned with human welfare and relief', the current sense of actions promoting human well-being.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'humanitarian' — people who seek to promote human welfare, often by giving aid or relief to those in need.
Humanitarians delivered food and medical supplies to the refugees.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
plural form of the noun 'humanitarian' (grammatical transformation).
The term 'humanitarians' is used to refer to multiple people engaged in humanitarian work.
Last updated: 2026/01/10 13:41