HUMAN'ITY, n. [L. humanitas.] 1. The peculiar nature of man, by which he is distinguished from other beings. Thus Christ, by his incarnation, was investedwith humanity. 2. Mankind collectively; the human race. If he is able to untie those knots,he is able to teach all humanity. It is a debt we owe to humanity.3. The kind feelings, dispositions and sympathies of man,by which he is distinguished from the lower orders of animals; kindness; benevolence; especially, a disposition to relieve persons in distress, and to treat with tenderness those who are helpless and defenseless; opposed to cruelty.4. A disposition to treat the lower orders of animals with tenderness, or at least to give them no unnecessary pain.5. The exercise of kindness; acts of tenderness.6. Philology; grammatical studies.Humanities, in the plural, signifies grammar, rhetoric and poetry; for teaching which there are professors in the universities of Scotland.
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