1702; plural of humanity (n.), which had been used in English from late 15c. in a sense "class of studies concerned with human culture" (opposed variously and at different times to divinity or sciences). Latin literae humaniores, the "more human studies" (literally "letters") are fondly believed to have been so called because they were those branches of literature (ancient classics, rhetoric, poetry) which tended to humanize or refine by their influence, but the distinction was rather of secular topics as opposed to divine ones (literae divinae).
From the late Middle Ages, the singular word humanity served to distinguish classical studies from natural sciences on one side and sacred studies (divinity) on the other side. ... The term's modern career is not well charted. But by the eighteenth century humanity in its academic sense seems to have fallen out of widespread use, except in Scottish universities (where it meant the study of Latin). Its revival as a plural in the course of the following century apparently arose from a need for a label for the multiple new 'liberal studies' or 'culture studies' entering university curricula. [James Turner, "Philology," 2014]
"one who believes that the general tendency of humanity in its mental and moral life is to degenerate," 1871, from degeneration + -ist.
As an adjective by 1834 in the theological sense "affirming the humanity or human nature of Christ;" by 1855 as "having regard for the broad interests of humanity."
Middle English manhede, manhode, "state of being human" (early 13c.), from man (n.) + -hood. Sense of "manliness, qualities considered becoming to a man" (variously: "courageous behavior, bravery; courteous behavior, gentility; compassion, kindness") is from c. 1300. Meaning "state of being an adult male" is from late 14c.
Similar words in Old English also were less explicitly masculine: manscipe "humanity, courtesy," literally "man-ship;" mennisclicnes "state of man, humanity, humaneness, human nature" (compare mannish). The more purely "manly" word was werhad "male sex, virility, manhood" (see first element in werewolf).
"of or pertaining to philanthropy; characterized by or originating in love for humankind," 1785, from French philanthropique (18c.), from Greek philanthrōpikos (adj.), from philanthrōpia "humanity, benevolence, kindliness" (see philanthropy). An earlier word in the same sense was philanthropian (1610s). Related: Philanthropical; philanthropically (1787).
"ascription of human feelings to divine beings," 1640s, from Greek anthrōpopatheia "humanity," literally "human feeling," from anthrōpos "man, human" (see anthropo-) + -patheia, combining form of pathos "suffering, disease, feeling" (from PIE root *kwent(h)- "to suffer"). Related: Anthropopathic; anthropopathite; anthropopathically.
