humble

Meaning

Adj

1. Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.
2. Having a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.

Noun

An arrest based on weak evidence intended to demean or punish the subject.

Verb

1. (ambitransitive) To defeat or reduce the power, independence, or pride of.
2. (often, reflexive, transitive) To make humble or lowly; to make less proud or arrogant; to make meek and submissive.

Verb

To hum.

Noun

Alternative form of hummel.

Verb

Alternative form of hummel.

Synonyms

modest

lowly

meek

low

humiliate

base

abase

unpretentious

unassuming

submissive

mean

poor

mortify

small

lower

baseborn

plain

inferior

shame

simple

reserved

polite

obedient

common

menial

humility

insignificant

embarrass

tame

quiet

obscure

modesty

vile

demure

demean

unpretending

vulgar

degrade

little

shabby

debase

crude

courteous

resigned

ordinary

discredit

abject

negligible

respectful

low-level

Translations

humble

umile

humilde

demütig

bescheiden

humilde

nederig

deemoedig

humil

onderdanig

modesto

humilier

bescheiden

modesto

modeste

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈhʌmbl̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: humble

Inherited from Middle English: humblen

In summary

From Middle English humble, from Old French humble, umble, humle, from Latin humilis (“low, slight, hence mean, humble”) (compare Greek χαμηλός (khamēlós, “on the ground, low, trifling”)), from humus (“the earth, ground”), humi (“on the ground”). See homage, and compare chameleon, humiliate. Displaced native Old English ēaþmōd.