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humility

American  
[hyoo-mil-i-tee, yoo-] / hyuˈmɪl ɪ ti, yu- /

noun

  1. the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.

    Synonyms:
    submissiveness, meekness, lowliness
    Antonyms:
    pride
humility British  
/ hjuːˈmɪlɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the state or quality of being humble

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of humility

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English humilite, from Latin humilitās; humble, -ty 2

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Perhaps it could help Americans to think with more compassion and humility, Glessner suggested.

From Barron's

The Dalai Lama said he accepted the award with "gratitude and humility".

From BBC

"I receive this recognition with gratitude and humility," he said in a post on social media.

From Barron's

To do so, Warsh will need to deploy the humility he has argued External link is a critical skill for policymakers.

From Barron's

There is a fine line between humility and confidence, but he said he can get a glimpse of that balance in the way candidates talk about their accomplishments.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.