mankind

English

Etymology

From Middle English mankinde, alteration (due to kinde = “kind, nature, sort”) of earlier mankin, from Old English mancynn. Equivalent to man +‎ kin, and/or man +‎ -kind. Cognate with Scots mankind, Middle High German mankünne, Danish mandkøn, Icelandic mannkyn (“mankind”). See also mankin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mænˈkaɪnd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪnd

Noun

mankind (uncountable)

1. The human race in its entirety.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:

     The examples of all ages shew us that mankind in general desire power only to do harm, and, when they obtain it, use it for no other purpose.

   • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

     Malone's hot blood flushed to his head as he thought of this trifler, this insect, coming between mankind and a message of instruction and consolation descending from above.

   • 2006, Edwin Black, chapter 2, in Internal Combustion:

     More than a mere source of Promethean sustenance to thwart the cold and cook one's meat, wood was quite simply mankind's first industrial and manufacturing fuel.

   • 2011, David Charles Cole, Understanding God's Message for Mankind: Essential Scripture and Commentary‎, page 1:

     It next moves through the history of the Jewish people, recounting the life and death of our Lord and Savior, and ends with the Book of Revelation foretelling the inevitable climax of God's plan for mankind.

2. Men collectively, as opposed to all women.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Leviticus 18:22:

     Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

   • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     “[...] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”

3. (obsolete) Human feelings; humanity.
   • 1641, Ben Jonson, Discoveries Made upon Men and Matter‎:

     And they are two strong ties upon mankind. Justice is the virtue that innocence rejoiċeth in

Usage notes

• In recent usage, people may reinterpret mankind not to be gender inclusive and may choose to use gender-neutral options like humanity, humankind or peoplekind instead. See the usage notes at man.

Synonyms

• (all men, humans): See Thesaurus:humankind

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of "all men, male humans"): womankind, womenkind

Hyponyms

• (all men, humans): womankind, womenkind

Derived terms

• mankindly
• mankindness

Translations

Further reading

• “mankind”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “mankind”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.