humanitarian

Everyday

1. Humanitarian means caring about people's lives and suffering, and trying to help them, especially in disasters and wars. tree →
2. A humanitarian is a person who works to help people who suffer. tree →

In the lessons

In news and citizenship lessons, humanitarian aid means food, water, medicine and shelter given to people after earthquakes, floods, famines or wars. Groups like the Red Cross, Red Crescent and UN agencies do humanitarian work. A «humanitarian crisis» means many people urgently need help. International humanitarian law sets rules to protect civilians in war.

Examples

• The charity sent humanitarian aid after the earthquake. tree →
• Trucks carried food and medicine as humanitarian help. tree →
• The war has caused a humanitarian crisis. tree →
• Florence Nightingale was a great humanitarian. tree →
• Doctors Without Borders does humanitarian work. tree →
• Humanitarian law protects people who are not fighting. tree →
• The school raised money for humanitarian relief. tree →

Note

Can be an adjective (humanitarian aid) or a noun (a humanitarian). Not the same as «human» or «humane», though related: humane means kind and gentle; humanitarian is about helping people who suffer, often on a big scale.