omänsklig

Omänsklig is a Swedish adjective meaning not human or lacking humanity. In typical use it describes actions, conditions, or beings that are considered cruel, brutal, or devoid of compassion. The term can also be used in a more literal sense to refer to non-human beings or phenomena, though this sense is less common in everyday speech and more likely in literature or science fiction.

Etymology and forms: Omänsklig is formed from mänsklig (human) with a negating prefix. The prefix o- (often seen as om-) signals negation, producing the sense “not human.” The related noun omänsklighet denotes inhumanity or the state of being inhuman. The term has cognates in other Nordic languages, such as Danish umenneskelig and Norwegian umenneskelig.

Usage and nuance: Omänsklig carries a strong moral judgment and is typically used to condemn behavior or treatment as devoid of humanity. It can describe actions, policies, or attitudes considered excessively cruel or uncaring. In referring to beings, it can denote non-human entities in a figurative or fictional sense, though “non-human” is more commonly expressed with other phrasing in everyday Swedish. Synonyms include grym, brutal, elak, och hård, while the antonym is mänsklig in the ethical sense and human in broader usage.

See also: mänsklig, omänsklighet, avhumanisering. In translation, omänsklig is often rendered as inhumane or non-human depending on context.