humble

hum·ble

Use humble in a sentence

Mae is an exceptionally talented artist but she acts quite humble when people compliment her paintings.

adjective

The definition of humble is someone who knows they are not perfect.
An example of humble is a general contractor being honest about not being great at plumbing.

verb

Humble is defined as to lower the condition or position of someone or something.
An example of humble is telling someone they aren't as good at something as they think they are.

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"humble." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE>.

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humble. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE

humble

adjective

-·bler, -·blest

having or showing a consciousness of one's defects or shortcomings; not overly proud; not self-assertive; modest
low in condition, rank, or position; lowly; unpretentious: a humble home

Origin of humble

Middle English from Old French from Classical Latin humilis, low, small, slight, akin to humus, soil, earth: see humus

transitive verb

-·bled, -·bling

to lower in condition, rank, or position; abase
to lower in pride; make modest or humble in mind

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MLA Style

"humble." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE>.

APA Style

humble. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE

humble

adjective

hum·bler, hum·blest

Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.
Showing deferential or submissive respect: a humble apology.
Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly: a humble cottage.

transitive verb

hum·bled, hum·bling, hum·bles

To cause to feel humble: “He was humbled by the lack of consolation in Kornblum's expression” ( Michael Chabon )
To cause to have a lower condition or status; abase.

Origin of humble

Middle English from Old French from Latin humilis low, lowly from humus ground ; see dhghem- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

hum′ble·ness
noun

hum′bler
noun

hum′bly
adverb

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"humble." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE>.

APA Style

humble. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE

Adjective

(comparative humbler, superlative humblest)

Near the ground; not high or lofty; not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; as, a humble cottage.
Thy humble nest built on the ground. -Cowley.
Thinking lowly of one's self; claiming little for one's self; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; lowly; weak; modest.
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Jas. iv. 6.
She should be humble who would please. -Prior.
Without a humble imitation of the divine Author of our . . . religion we can never hope to be a happy nation. -Washington.

Related terms

Verb

(third-person singular simple present humbles, present participle humbling, simple past and past participle humbled)

To bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humiliate.
Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues have humbled to all strokes. -Shak.
The genius which humbled six marshals of France. -Macaulay.
To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride or arrogance of; to reduce the self-sufficiency of; to make meek and submissive; -- often used reflexively.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you. 1 Pet. Ch 5: v. 6.

Origin

From Old French (h)umble, from Latin humilis (“low, slight, hence mean, humble”) (compare Greek χαμαλός (khamalos, “on the ground, low, trifling”)), from humus (“the earth, ground”), humi (“on the ground”). See homage, and compare chameleon, humiliate.

Adjective

(not comparable)

hornless
humble cattle

Origin

Compare hummel.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"humble." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE>.

APA Style

humble. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/hUMBLE

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