Humble meaning

hŭmbəl
humbled humbler humbles humblest humbling
See word origin
Frequency:
Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.
adjective
76
16
To cause to feel humble.
verb
59
39
Having or showing a consciousness of one's defects or shortcomings; not overly proud; not self-assertive; modest.
adjective
56
17
To cause to have a lower condition or status; abase.
verb
32
19
Low in condition, rank, or position; lowly; unpretentious.

A humble home.

adjective
20
8
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To lower in pride; make modest or humble in mind.
verb
18
7
To lower in condition, rank, or position; abase.
verb
15
4
Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly.

A humble cottage.

adjective
8
1
Showing deferential or submissive respect.

A humble apology.

adjective
6
2
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.

adjective
3
0
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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.

verb
2
0
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.

verb
1
0
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.

adjective
1
0
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.

adjective
1
0
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.

verb
1
0
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Humble cattle.

adjective
0
0

Other Word Forms

Adjective

Base Form:
humble
Comparative:
humbler
Superlative:
humblest

Origin of humble

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

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • 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.

    From Wiktionary

  • Compare hummel.

    From Wiktionary

Humble Sentence Examples

  • Suarez lived a very humble and simple life.

  • He in turn, looked at her as if a princess was visiting his humble abode.

  • She tried to be humble, but she was clearly proud of the straight As on her report card.

  • The executive chef had humble beginnings, starting his culinary career as a dishwasher and then working his way up through the kitchen.

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Words near humble in the Dictionary