HUMANIST
Dictionary entry overview: What does humanist mean?
• HUMANIST (noun)
The noun HUMANIST has 2 senses:
1. a classical scholar or student of the liberal arts
2. an advocate of the principles of humanism
Familiarity information: HUMANIST used as a noun is rare.
• HUMANIST (adjective)
The adjective HUMANIST has 4 senses:
1. of or pertaining to Renaissance humanism
2. of or pertaining to a philosophy asserting human dignity and man's capacity for fulfillment through reason and scientific method and often rejecting religion
3. pertaining to or concerned with the humanities
4. marked by humanistic values and devotion to human welfare
Familiarity information: HUMANIST used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• HUMANIST (noun)
Meaning:
A classical scholar or student of the liberal arts
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Hypernyms ("humanist" is a kind of...):
bookman; scholar; scholarly person; student (a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "humanist"):
classical scholar; classicist (a student of ancient Greek and Latin)
man of letters (a man devoted to literary or scholarly activities)
philologist; philologue (a humanist specializing in classical scholarship)
Instance hyponyms:
Desiderius Erasmus; Erasmus; Geert Geerts; Gerhard Gerhards (Dutch humanist and theologian who was the leading Renaissance scholar of northern Europe; although his criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church led to the Reformation, he opposed violence and condemned Martin Luther (1466-1536))
Meaning:
An advocate of the principles of humanism
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Hypernyms ("humanist" is a kind of...):
advocate; advocator; exponent; proponent (a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea)
• HUMANIST (adjective)
Meaning:
Of or pertaining to Renaissance humanism
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Synonyms:
humanist; humanistic
Context example:
the humanistic revival of learning
Pertainym:
humanism (the cultural movement of the Renaissance; based on classical studies)
Meaning:
Of or pertaining to a philosophy asserting human dignity and man's capacity for fulfillment through reason and scientific method and often rejecting religion
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Synonyms:
humanistic; humanist
Context example:
the humanist belief in continuous emergent evolution
Pertainym:
humanism (the doctrine emphasizing a person's capacity for self-realization through reason; rejects religion and the supernatural)
Meaning:
Pertaining to or concerned with the humanities
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Synonyms:
humane; humanist; humanistic
Context examples:
humanistic studies / a humane education
Pertainym:
humanities (studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills))
Meaning:
Marked by humanistic values and devotion to human welfare
Synonyms:
human-centered; human-centred; humanitarian; humanist; humanistic
Context examples:
a humane physician / released the prisoner for humanitarian reasons / respect and humanistic regard for all members of our species
Similar:
humane (marked or motivated by concern with the alleviation of suffering)
