1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of humans (see human entry 2)
the human brain
human voices
problems that have occurred throughout human history
2
: consisting of or involving humans
everyone held hands and made a human chain
human interactions
human spaceflight
3
a
: having human form or attributes
the statue is more human than the beings at his feet—
Clifton Fadiman
Clifton Fadiman
b
: representative of or susceptible to the sympathies and frailties of human nature
human kindness
a human weakness
such an inconsistency is very human—P. E. More
P. E. More
: a bipedal primate mammal (Homo sapiens) : a person : man sense 1c
—usually plural
a disease that affects both humans and animals
incomprehensible to us humans—William James
William JamesSynonyms
Adjective
Noun
Examples of human in a Sentence
Adjective
problems that have occurred throughout human history
She is a very kind and human person.
The dog's expression was almost human.
The assembly line was a human machine.
Everyone held hands and formed a human chain.
Noun
humans are the only mammals not endowed with a natural defense against the elements, such as fur or a thick hide
Recent Examples on the Web
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
Police investigate after a human head washed ashore on Key Biscayne, Fla., on Tuesday morning.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The World Health Organization says H5N1’s risk to humans is low because there is no evidence of human transmission, but the virus has been found in an increasing number of animals including cattle in the United States.
—Reuters, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for human 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Several fossil teeth dating back 1.77 million years hold some important clues into our ape and human origins.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
Police investigate after a human head washed ashore on Key Biscayne, Fla., on Tuesday morning.
—Antonio Planas, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
This article was generated by the Bay Area Home Report Bot, software that analyzes home sales or other data and creates an article based on a template created by humans.
—Bay Area Home Report, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
The World Health Organization says H5N1’s risk to humans is low because there is no evidence of human transmission, but the virus has been found in an increasing number of animals including cattle in the United States.
—Reuters, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for human
Articles Related to human
Dictionary Entries Near human
Cite this Entry
“Human.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/human. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
human
1 of 2 adjective
hu·man
ˈhyü-mən 
ˈyü-
1
: relating to or characteristic of human beings
especially
: showing qualities typical of human beings
a human failing
2
: consisting of or involving human beings
human spaceflight
3
: having human form or characteristics
the dog's expression was almost human
Medical Definition
1
a
: of, relating to, or characteristic of humans
the human body
human biochemistry
b
: primarily or usually harbored by, affecting, or attacking humans
human diseases
human parasites
2
: being or consisting of humans
the human race
3
: consisting of members of the genus Homo
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