Treated or made to seem as though lacking human qualities like dignity, emotions, or individuality, often through systematic abuse or depersonalization.
From de- (remove) + humanized (made human), entering English in the early 20th century. The prefix de- comes from Latin, meaning to remove or reverse. The concept gained prominence during discussions of industrial work and later atrocities in the 20th century.
The word became especially common after World War II to describe how totalitarian regimes stripped people of their humanity, but it's also used in modern sociology to describe how technology and bureaucracy can make people feel like mere numbers rather than individuals.
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