nonhuman
adjective
non·hu·man
ˌnän-ˈhyü-mən 
-ˈyü-
: not human: such as
a
: being other than a human being
a nonhuman primate/animal
b
: not belonging to, appropriate to, or produced by human beings
nonhuman noises
nonhuman cells
nonhuman
noun
Discarding the doctrine of human dignity can mean lowering the moral status of humans or raising the moral status of nonhumans, and Mr. Rachels's emphasis is ultimately on the latter.
—
Robert Wright
Robert Wright
Examples of nonhuman in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some researchers suggested that goodbyes required cognitive abilities that many nonhuman animals might lack, such as the capacity to imagine and plan for the future.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Researchers are also studying the potential benefit of remdesivir -- the intravenous medication used to treat COVID-19 -- which has been shown to work well in nonhuman primates with Nipah virus.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2026
In my graduate training, I was taught to avoid anthropomorphizing animal research subjects – to resist the temptation to project human thoughts and emotions onto nonhuman minds, because human brains likely contribute to uniquely human cognitive and emotional experiences.
—Kelly Lambert, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
They will always be seen as nonhuman objects.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonhuman
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Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
Researchers are also studying the potential benefit of remdesivir -- the intravenous medication used to treat COVID-19 -- which has been shown to work well in nonhuman primates with Nipah virus.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2026
In my graduate training, I was taught to avoid anthropomorphizing animal research subjects – to resist the temptation to project human thoughts and emotions onto nonhuman minds, because human brains likely contribute to uniquely human cognitive and emotional experiences.
—Kelly Lambert, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026
They will always be seen as nonhuman objects.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nonhuman
Cite this Entry
“Nonhuman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonhuman. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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