---
title: humanist — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «humanist» in the school dictionary: A humanist is a person who lives by reason, science and kindness rather than religion, believing people can be good and make life meaningful without God. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# humanist

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** humanist, person, scholar, aunt, Humanists, we · **What happens:** be, live, believe, make, study, write · **To what, where:** person, people, life, scholar, writings, ancient Greece · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«humanist» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [humanist in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/humanist.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A humanist is a person who lives by reason, science and kindness rather than religion, believing people can be good and make life meaningful without God.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:m1:1
# text = A humanist is a person who lives by reason, science and kindness rather than religion, believing people can be good and make life meaningful without God.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	22	nsubj	_	_
6	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	7	nsubj	_	_
7	lives	live	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	acl:relcl	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	science	science	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
12	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	kindness	kindness	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
14	rather	rather	ADV	RB	ExtPos=CCONJ	16	cc	_	_
15	than	than	ADP	IN	_	14	fixed	_	_
16	religion	religion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	believing	believe	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	appos	_	_
19	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	18	obj	_	_
20	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	22	aux	_	_
21	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	22	cop	_	_
22	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
23	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	24	cc	_	_
24	make	make	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	22	conj	_	_
25	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	obj	_	_
26	meaningful	meaningful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	24	xcomp	_	_
27	without	without	ADP	IN	_	28	case	_	_
28	God	God	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	26	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	22	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a humanist | a person |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **live** | present | a person |  |  |  |  | by reason and science and kindness rather religion | vn exist-47.1-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme by reason=Location |
| 3 | **believe** | gerund |  | people |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer people=Stimulus |
| 4 | **is** | can | a person |  |  |  |  | good *property* | tree rules |
| 5 | **make** | present | a person *not said here* | life |  |  |  | meaningful *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset life=Product |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: history — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A humanist was a scholar of the Renaissance who studied the writings of ancient Greece and Rome.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:m2:1
# text = A humanist was a scholar of the Renaissance who studied the writings of ancient Greece and Rome.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	scholar	scholar	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	Renaissance	Renaissance	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
9	who	who	PRON	WP	PronType=Rel	10	nsubj	_	_
10	studied	study	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	parataxis	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	writings	writing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	10	obj	_	_
13	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	ancient	ancient	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	Greece	Greece	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	_
16	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
17	Rome	Rome	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | a humanist | a scholar |  |  |  | of the Renaissance | tree rules |
| 2 | **study** | past | a scholar | the writings of ancient Greece and Rome |  |  |  |  | vn learn-14-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent writing=Topic |
| 3 | **write** |  |  | ancient Greece and Rome |  |  |  |  | nom writing «act transitive»: of=patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
As an adjective, humanist describes these ideas, like a humanist wedding or funeral.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:m3:1
# text = As an adjective, humanist describes these ideas, like a humanist wedding or funeral.
1	As	as	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	adjective	adjective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
6	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	these	this	DET	DT	Number=Plur|PronType=Dem	8	det	_	_
8	ideas	idea	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
12	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	compound	_	_
13	wedding	wedding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	appos	_	_
14	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
15	funeral	funeral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **describe** | present | humanist | this ideas |  |  |  | as a adjective | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent idea=Theme as adjective=Attribute |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My aunt had a humanist wedding in a garden.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:x1:1
# text = My aunt had a humanist wedding in a garden.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	aunt	aunt	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	wedding	wedding	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | My aunt | a humanist wedding |  | a garden |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wedding=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Humanists believe we should be kind because people matter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:x2:1
# text = Humanists believe we should be kind because people matter.
1	Humanists	humanist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	nsubj	_	_
2	believe	believe	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
4	should	should	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
6	kind	kind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	ccomp	_	_
7	because	because	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
8	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	matter	matter	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **believe** | present | Humanists |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2 «NP V that S»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | should | we |  |  |  |  | kind *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **matter** | present | people |  |  |  |  |  | vn matter-91 «NP V»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The humanist speaker talked about Grandma's life at the funeral.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:x3:1
# text = The humanist speaker talked about Grandma's life at the funeral.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	speaker	speaker	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	talked	talk	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	Grandma	Grandma	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	8	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	's	's	PART	POS	_	6	case	_	_
8	life	life	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	at	at	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	funeral	funeral	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **talk** | past | the humanist speaker |  |  | the funeral |  | about Grandma's life | vn talk-37.5 «NP V PP.topic»: agent=Agent about life=Topic |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Erasmus was a famous Renaissance humanist.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:x4:1
# text = Erasmus was a famous Renaissance humanist.
1	Erasmus	Erasmus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
4	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
5	Renaissance	Renaissance	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	compound	_	_
6	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | Erasmus | a famous Renaissance humanist |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In RE we compared Christian and humanist views of right and wrong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:x5:1
# text = In RE we compared Christian and humanist views of right and wrong.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	RE	RE	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
3	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
4	compared	compare	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	Christian	Christian	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
7	humanist	humanist	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	views	view	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	5	conj	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	right	right	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	nmod	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
12	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compare** | past | we | Christian and humanist views of right |  | RE |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent christian=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A humanist uses reason and evidence to make choices.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:humanist:x6:1
# text = A humanist uses reason and evidence to make choices.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	humanist	humanist	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	evidence	evidence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
9	choices	choice	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **use** | present | a humanist | reason and evidence |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent reason=Patient |
| 2 | **make** | to-infinitive | a humanist *not said here* | choices |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset choice=Product |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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