humane

adjective

1. 1

   Having or showing concern for the pain or suffering of another; compassionate.

   It is no longer considered humane to perform vivisection on research animals.

   As methods of execution go, beheading is more humane than drawing and quartering.

   The unfortunate thing about Bando, said Arthur, is that it is no longer to be obtained in this unfortunate country. I understand that inferior products, such as Ostreine and Spanish Flies, may still be wheedled out of some of the humaner chemists, up and down the city, in the ten minutes or a quarter of an hour immediately following their midday meal.

2. 2

   Pertaining to branches of learning concerned with human affairs or the humanities, especially classical literature or rhetoric.

   many divine precepts to counterpoise our hearts, special antidotes both in scriptures and humane authors, which who so will observe, shall purchase much ease and quietness unto himself.

3. 3

   Variant of humanobsoleteObsolete spelling of human.

   [N]o attempt is made to call in God to their reſcue, as if he vvere an idle unconcern'd ſpectator of humane affairs, or ſo inconſiderable an ally, as not to be vvorth the care of engaging him on their ſide.

Forms

comparative

humaner, more humane

superlative

humanest, most humane