Humanitarian
/ˌhjuː.məˈnɪə.ri.ən/noun
A person who seeks to promote human welfare and relieve suffering.
Did you know?The word is rooted in Latin *hūmānus* (“human, humane”), which originally carried the idea of civilized, cultivated behavior before it became a modern label for organized aid and relief.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dhghem-
“earth, ground”
Latin
Latin
homo
“human being; literally, a being of the earth”
Latin
Latin
hūmānus
“human; humane; civilized”
Late 19th Century
English
humanitarian
“one devoted to human welfare or humane principles”
Modern English
English
humanitarian
“a person who seeks to improve the lives and reduce the suffering of others”