Ihmis

ihmis is a Finnish combining form meaning "human" that is used to create terms related to people, humanity, or human properties. It is not commonly used as an independent word in everyday language; instead, it appears as a stem in compound words and derivations built from the noun ihmiset or ihminen.

In use, ihmis- forms words that refer to humans, human groups, or human-related concepts. Examples include ihmiskunta (humankind or human society), which denotes the collective of people; ihmisoikeudet (human rights), referring to fundamental rights belonging to all people; and ihmislaji (human species), used in biological or anthropological contexts. The precise composition can vary with suffixes and inflections, as is typical in Finnish word formation.

The standalone word for “a human being” is yleensä ihminen, while the form ihmis- operates as a productive bound morpheme in more abstract or formal vocabulary. In everyday speech, speakers more often rely on ihminen or specific compound terms rather than freestanding use of the stem. The blending form is common in sociology, law, anthropology, and related disciplines, where precise human-focused terminology is needed.

Etymologically, the combining form stems from the root meaning human in Finnish, originating in the same semantic field as the noun ihminen. It functions similarly to the English prefix human- in compounds, signaling relations to people or humanity.