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I'm looking for a word (or term) that specifically and exactly describes someone who loves all living things. I'd prefer something that isn't extremely technical (a word/term hat is mostly understood) but at the same time, not too simple (i.e. animal-lover).

I don't think context is necessary in this case, but regardless...

before going to bed, a teenage girl visits the washroom where she finds a moth. Rather than killing it, she gently releases it outside.

Perhaps this can be described as kind, but I'm looking for something that specifically refers to a love or kindness towards beings of life (except for maybe single-cell organisms).

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  • “vegan”, perhaps? 🙃
    – verbose
    Commented Dec 16, 2017 at 16:47
  • How is not killing a moth treating it with love? Can you love something that cannot love you back? I think not. Not all living things are capable of loving or recognizing "kindness".
    – Arm the good guys in America
    Commented Dec 16, 2017 at 17:55

5 Answers 5

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Someone compassionate cares for other people and perhaps for animals (but not, I think, for single-celled organisms or plants, so not all living things).

Someone who feels an emotional connection with other things can be described as empathetic. Such a person can be called an empath.

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She may be described as:

  • affectionate : showing, indicating, or characterized by affection or love; fondly tender
  • Tender : Showing gentleness, kindness, and affection
  • Benevolent : Well meaning and kindly

or

  • Humane : Having or showing compassion or benevolence
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  • Also commiserative: expressing or feeling sympathy or pity; sympathizing.
    – Graffito
    Commented Oct 10, 2015 at 20:28
  • Humane is the term I'd use.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Oct 27, 2016 at 11:52
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You answered your own question in the last line of your example, gentle.

gentle: having or showing a kind and quiet nature; not harsh or violent. Merriam-Webster

He remained gentle toward animals and humankind. (I was Amish: a personal story of an Amish girl and her life)

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Since you mentioned ‘all living things.’, you can hyphenate common affection words, such as ones listed here, with ‘omni-’ to mean ‘all’.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/omni-

Edit

Actually, I even found the exact word for your requested definition, ‘omnibenevolent’.

From OED,

omnibenevolent adj. [ < omni- comb. form + benevolent adj., after omnipotent adj., omniscient adj. (see quot. 1679)] benevolent towards all; infinitely benevolent.

Also, http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/omnibenevolent.

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'good hombres' 'humans' 'nice people'

No, sorry. I think humane, although a little anthropocentric, covers the load.

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