Mankind, Humankind, and Which One Writers Choose Now
Mankind means the human race. Many writers now prefer humanity or humankind, and the reason is straightforward.
Mankind means the human species as a whole. It is still perfectly comprehensible, but a great deal of modern writing prefers *humankind*, *humanity* or simply *people*, because *man* for everyone excludes half the species by accident. Style guides in journalism, science and government now recommend the alternatives.
- The human race. *A step forward for mankind.*
- Humankind — the same, worded inclusively. *The history of humankind.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | mankind | All mankind. |
| Alternative | humankind | The future of humankind. |
| Alternative | humanity | A crime against humanity. |
| Adjective | human | Human beings. |
| Related | anthropology | Social anthropology. |
How it is used in a sentence
- One giant leap for mankind.Armstrong's line from 1969.
- The discovery changed how humankind sees itself.The inclusive alternative.
- Crimes against humanity are defined in international law.A fixed legal term.
Words that were quietly replaced
- Mankind → humankind, humanity, people
- Manpower → workforce, staffing
- Man-made → artificial, synthetic, human-made
- Chairman → chair, chairperson
- Manning → staffing, crewing
A compound of *man* and *kind*, recorded from the thirteenth century. In Old English *man* meant a person of either sex, and *wer* and *wif* marked male and female; the general sense narrowed later, which is the root of the modern difficulty.
Is mankind wrong?
Not wrong, but many style guides advise against it. Humanity and humankind say the same thing without excluding anyone.
Did *man* once mean any person?
Yes. In Old English *man* meant a human being, and separate words marked male and female. The narrowing happened over centuries.