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What does humanity mean? |
The first five letters of "humanity" spell "human." That's important because the word humanity can have a few different meanings, but they all involve ideas about people.
Humanity can mean "all human beings." So, you might say, "Global warming is dangerous to humanity."
Humanity can also talk about the qualities of a person that makes them human. This can include a lot of things, but usually it talks about the things a lot of other animals don't have, like the ability to reason, to make art, to make jokes, to be generous, and to be forgiving. Some animals can do some of these things, but to do all of them, that's something pretty much special for humans. We're pretty cool when you think about it!
You can also use the word "humanities" to talk about types of study and learning that deal with things humans do (like languages and philosophy) and not natural sciences (like geology).
So, humanity can be a lot of things, but at its simplest, its a very "human" word.
How to be Human
Pick an animal that you know pretty well, like a pet or something you might see in your yard. How is that animal different from you? Think of the human things that you do that the animal doesn't. Make a list of what makes you human (your humanity).
