nonhumane

Nonhumane is an adjective describing actions, policies, or conditions that lack humane qualities such as compassion, empathy, or consideration for suffering. It is used to characterize treatment of beings—human or nonhuman—in contexts where standards of humane treatment are not met.

The term is rarer than its synonym inhumane and can appear in legal, ethical, or policy discussions where the emphasis is on the absence of humane safeguards rather than a deliberate act of cruelty. It is commonly applied to discussions of animal welfare, labor conditions, medical care, and criminal justice, among other areas.

Usage notes: nonhumane may imply normative expectations about humanity that are not achieved, rather than a specific intentional act. In many contexts, writers may prefer inhumane or cruel depending on the precise sense they intend to convey.

Etymology: formed with the non- prefix plus humane, from Latin humanus via Old French humain; the term has appeared in modern English usage since the 19th century.