Humanities
/hjuːˈmænɪtiz/noun
The branches of learning that study human culture, history, literature, and thought.
Did you know?The core Latin root behind humanities, *humanus*, was tied to being cultivated, humane, and properly educated in Roman thought—so “humanities” began as a claim about the making of a civilized soul, not just a school subject.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dhghem-
“earth, ground”
Latin
Latin
humus
“earth, ground, soil”
Latin
Latin
humanus
“human; humane; civilized”
Late Latin
Latin
humanitas
“human nature; culture; refinement; education”
Middle English
English
humanite
“human nature; kindness; learning”
Modern English
English
humanities
“the academic disciplines concerned with human culture and thought”