self-effacement Hear it!

self-effacement Definition

self·-effacement (-i fās′mənt)

noun

the practice of keeping oneself in the background and minimizing one's own actions; modest, retiring behavior

self-effacement Related Forms
self′·-effac′ing adjective
self-effacement Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • ironic: Swann embodies the discretion and ironic self-effacement which are the anti-thesis of French directness.