man ‧ kind /ˌmænˈkaɪnd/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ man , ↑ manhood , ↑ mankind ; adjective : ↑ manly ≠ ↑ unmanly , manned ≠ ↑ unmanned , ↑ mannish ; verb : ↑ man ; adverb : ↑ manfully ]
all humans considered as a group SYN humankind , man ⇨ womankind :
Since earliest times, mankind has been fascinated by fire.
one of the most important events in the history of mankind
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THESAURUS
▪ mankind/humankind people in general. Some people think that the word mankind seems to make women seem unimportant, and prefer to use humankind instead:
a scientific advance that has benefited mankind
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He once said that the invention of television was the ‘greatest single disaster in the history of mankind’.
▪ the human race all the people in the world, considered as one group:
The entire human race could be wiped out by nuclear war.
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The majority of the human race will soon be living in big cities.
▪ humanity people in general – used especially when you are talking about caring for people and respecting their rights and their desire for happiness:
The General was accused of committing crimes against humanity.
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They hope to achieve a better future for all humanity.
▪ man people in general – use this when you are comparing humans with other living things. Some people prefer not to not use man because they think it makes women seem unimportant:
Jericho is the oldest continuously inhabited city known to man.
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The chimpanzee is man’s closest relative.