mankind

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   All human beings considered together; the human race.

   New medical discoveries can benefit all of mankind.

2. 2
   noun

   Men as a group, as opposed to women.

   In older texts, "mankind" sometimes means men rather than people in general.

From Middle English mankynde, alteration (due to kynde = “kind, nature, sort”) of earlier mankyn, from Old English mancynn. Equivalent to man + kin, and/or man + -kind. Cognate with Scots mankind, Middle High German mankünne, Danish mandkøn, Icelandic mannkyn (“mankind”). See also mankin.

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