more-than-human
UK[mɔːr ðæn ˈhjuːmən]US[mɔːr ðæn ˈhjuːmən]
adj
Relating to or involving entities, qualities, or experiences that exceed or transcend what is considered normal or possible for humans alone.
adj
Of or pertaining to a perspective or field of study that decenters the human, emphasizing the agency and significance of non-human actors (e.g., animals, plants, technology, ecosystems).
Morpheme Breakdown
more
than
human
more
greater
than
comparison
human
mankind
Etymology
The compound "more-than-human" is a modern philosophical and ecological construct, built entirely from native English comparative structures and a classical Latin root. Its core logic is comparative: "more" establishes a degree, "than" sets the benchmark, and "human" defines the entity being transcended. The term deliberately leverages the familiar grammar of comparison ("more than") to challenge anthropocentric worldviews, positing a realm or quality that exceeds the limits of the human condition. It synthesizes Old English grammatical tools with the Latin concept of humanus to create a new conceptual category that is integral to posthumanist thought and environmental humanities.
Analysis
Structure: more (greater) + than (comparison) + human (mankind)
more: From Old English māra (greater, more), comparative of micel (great, much). Function: comparative adverb/adjective.
than: From Old English þonne (then, than), used to introduce the second element in a comparison. Function: conjunction.
human: From Latin hūmānus (of man, human), related to homō (man). Function: noun/adjective root.
Examples
The artist's work explores the more-than-human world of forests, where trees communicate through fungal networks.
Philosophers of technology examine the more-than-human agency of algorithms in shaping social behavior.
Their research advocates for a more-than-human ethics that considers the rights of rivers and mountains.