hooman

English

Etymology

A respelling of human. In science fiction, seemingly popularized by the speech pattern of the Ferengi in the Star Trek franchise. The slang sense was popularized in the 2010s and is used chiefly in DoggoLingo.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ho͞oʹmən, IPA^(key): /ˈhuː.mən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

hooman (plural hoomans)

1. (slang, humorous) A human being.
   • 1961, The Bedding Manufacturer:

     It was established that the chimps' high living standard had been watched and envied by the hoomans for some length of time.

   1. (science fiction) A human from the perspective of an alien.

      Synonyms: Earthling, Terran

      • 1998, Ira Steven Behr, Hans Beimler, The Siege of AR-558 (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), spoken by Quark:

        Let me tell you something about hoomans, Nephew.

      • 2013 10, Richard H. Wildey, A Chance to Learn the Secrets of the Ancients, Strategic Book Publishing, →ISBN, page 445:

        These aliens had heard about Hoomans, but none of them had ever seen one.

      • 2023 March 30, Celia Kyle, Horde Bride (A Scifi Alien Romance), Summerhouse Publishing:

        "I thinking I seen this hooman before. Not know name Lyle, though."

   2. (DoggoLingo) A person who owns a dog or cat.
   • 2019, Mackenzi Lee, The History of the World in Fifty Dogs, New York, NY: Abrams Image, →ISBN, page unknown:

     During the fight, Alexander found himself cut off from his men when a war elephant charged at him, but Peritas, who had been his companion on the campaign, leapt (probably in slow motion, possibly from a helicopter) in front of his hooman.

2. Pronunciation spelling of human. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Translations

a person who owns a dog or cat

Thai: มานู้ด Vietnamese: sen (vi)