different between sympathetic vs humanitarian

English

Alternative forms

• sympathetick (obsolete)
• sympathetical

Etymology

Mid 17th century in the sense “relating to an affinity or paranormal influence”, from sympathy +? -etic (“pertaining to”), on the pattern of pathetic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?m.p????t.?k/
• Rhymes: -?t?k

Adjective

sympathetic (comparative more sympathetic, superlative most sympathetic)

1. Of, related to, feeling, showing, or characterized by sympathy.

   Antonym: unsympathetic

   1. Showing approval of or favor towards an idea or action.

      Synonym: approving

2. (of a person) Attracting the liking of others.
   1. (construction) Designed in a sensitive or appropriate way.
3. (relational) Relating to, producing, or denoting an effect which arises through an affinity, interdependence, or mutual association.
   1. (of magic) A supernatural connection or power resulting from two items having the same form or some other correspondence.
   2. (sound) Relating to musical tones produced by sympathetic vibration or to strings so tuned as to sound by sympathetic vibration.
4. (neuroanatomy, neurology, relational) Relating to or denoting the part of the autonomic nervous system consisting of nerves arising from ganglia near the middle part of the spinal cord, supplying the internal organs, blood vessels, and glands, and balancing the action of the parasympathetic nerves.

   Antonym: parasympathetic

Derived terms

Related terms

• sympathico-

Translations

References

• “sympathetic”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• “sympathetic”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).

English

Etymology

From humanity +? -arian (suffix indicating an advocate of or believer in something), possibly modelled after Unitarian (“Christian who does not believe in the doctrine of the Trinity; pertaining to Unitarianism”) (see noun sense 2 and verb sense 2).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /hj??mæ.n??t??.??.?n/, [-??.?i.?n]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /hju?mæ.n??t?.?i.?n/, /?hju?.mæ.n??t??.??.?n/
• Rhymes: -???i?n
• Hyphenation: hu?man?it?a?ri?an

Adjective

humanitarian (comparative more humanitarian, superlative most humanitarian)

1. Concerned with people's welfare, and the alleviation of suffering; compassionate, humane.
2. (Christianity, rare) Of or pertaining to the belief that Jesus Christ is fully human and not divine.
3. (philosophy, historical) Synonym of humanist (“relating to humanism”)

Usage notes

• The Compact Oxford Dictionary from 1996 has a usage note criticizing use of humanitarian as in humanitarian disaster, saying "the adjective humanitarian is often used inaccurately by reporters, e.g This is the worst humanitarian disaster within living memory, as if humanitarian meant 'of or relating to humanity'", though the current entry given by OxfordDictionaries.com has a more tempered commentary: "The primary sense of humanitarian is 'concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare.' Since the 1930s, a new sense, exemplified by phrases such as the worst humanitarian disaster this country has seen, has been gaining currency, and is now broadly established, especially in journalism, although it is not considered good style by all".

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

humanitarian (plural humanitarians)

1. A person concerned with people's welfare; a do-gooder or philanthropist.
2. (Christianity, rare) One who believes that Jesus Christ is fully human and not divine.
3. (philosophy, historical) Synonym of humanist (“a person who believes in the philosophy of humanism”)

Translations

References

Further reading

• humanitarian on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• humanitarian in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• humanitarian in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.