hum´bly

hum|ble «HUHM buhl, UHM-», adjective, -bler, -blest, verb, -bled, -bling.

–adj.

1. low in position or condition; not important; not grand: »

He has a humble job with very low wages. Lincoln was born in a humble log cabin; he was of humble origin.

SYNONYM(S): unpretentious, common, poor.

2. modest in spirit; not proud: »

Defeat and failure make people humble.

3. deeply or courteously respectful: »

in my humble opinion.

–v.t.

1. to make humble or meek; lower the pride of; humiliate.

2. to make lower in position, condition, or importance: »

The mighty man shall be humbled (Isaiah 5:15).

╂[< Old French humble, earlier humele, learned borrowing from Latin humilis (physically) low (in Late Latin, humble) < humus earth]

–hum´ble|ness, noun.

–hum´bler, noun.

–hum´bly, adverb.

Synonym Study adjective. 2 Humble, lowly, meek mean not proud in spirit or behavior. Humble in its good sense means modest, without wrongful pride in oneself or one's accomplishments, but now usually suggests feeling inferior and belittling oneself: »

The vastness of the universe makes a person feel humble.

Lowly, though interchaeable with humble, is more literary and is seldom used to describe people: »

The saint had a lowly heart.

Meek means patient and mild in disposition, often suggests being without pride or spirit, submitting tamely to abuse: »

The boy was meek when the older boys made fun of him.