humane

Definitions

Same origin as human (Latin homo, akin to humus 'earth'), but humane split off to mean 'behaving as a good human should' — with kindness and mercy. So humane is the moral half of being human.

Why It Means This

English split one Latin word into two spellings with two jobs: human (the neutral fact of being a person) and humane (the moral ideal of how a person should treat others). Humane keeps the older, warmer sense — mercy, gentleness — which is why we speak of humane treatment, a humane society, humane killing.

Common Collocations

• 1.humane treatment人道待遇
• 2.humane society动物保护协会
• 3.humane conditions人道的条件

Example Sentences

• 1.

  The shelter is committed to the humane treatment of every animal.

• 2.

  Critics questioned whether the prison conditions were humane.

Easily Confused

humane vs human — see human's entry: human = the neutral fact (human error), humane = the moral quality (kind, merciful). The extra -e signals the moral meaning.