nonhuman
|non-hu-man|
🇺🇸
/nɑnˈhjuːmən/
🇬🇧
/nɒnˈhjuːmən/
not human
Etymology
'nonhuman' is formed in modern English from the prefix 'non-' (a productive negative prefix meaning 'not') + 'human' (from Latin 'humanus').
'human' originates from Latin 'humanus' which passed into Old French as 'humain' and then into Middle English as 'humain'/'human'; the prefix 'non-' developed in English from Latin 'non' (meaning 'not') and was applied to form compounds such as 'nonhuman' in Modern English.
Originally a straightforward compound meaning 'not human' (used descriptively for beings not of the human species); over time it has been used in broader contexts (e.g., legal, ethical, technological) to refer to animals, machines, and other non-human entities and to contrast qualities that are 'human' versus 'nonhuman'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a being or entity that is not human (used to refer collectively to animals, machines, extraterrestrials, etc.).
Philosophers debate whether nonhumans should have legal rights.
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Adjective 1
not human; belonging to or characteristic of beings that are not human (e.g., animals, machines, extraterrestrials).
The study compared human subjects with nonhuman primates.
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Adjective 2
lacking qualities normally associated with humans (e.g., warmth, compassion); impersonal or inhuman in effect.
His response to the suffering was disturbingly nonhuman.
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Last updated: 2025/10/10 13:21