adj.
- Characterized by kindness, mercy, or compassion: a humane judge.
- Marked by an emphasis on humanistic values and concerns: a humane education.
[Middle English humain, human. See human.]
humanely hu·mane'ly adv.humaneness hu·mane'ness n.
SYNONYMS humane, compassionate, humanitarian, merciful. These adjectives mean marked or motivated by concern with the alleviation of suffering: a humane physician; compassionate toward impoverished people; released the prisoner for humanitarian reasons; is merciful to the repentant.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
