humble
- not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.
- having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.
- low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.
- courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.
- low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.
- to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.
- to destroy the independence, power, or will of.
- to make meek: to humble one's heart.
Origin of humble
Synonyms
See more synonyms for humble on Thesaurus.comSynonym study
Antonyms
Examples from the Web for humblest
Contemporary Examples
She was born into the humblest of Birmingham neighborhoods, to a mother who had been a butcher and a TV-salesman dad.
Historical Examples
A man likes to have the approval of even the humblest of his fellow-creatures.
In the Midst of AlarmsRobert Barr
They would take off their hats, and make the humblest bows you ever saw.
The Miraculous PitcherNathaniel Hawthorne
The humblest may see a way of improvement in their betters, and obey the command, "Follow me."
Albert DurerT. Sturge Moore
Occasionally, the brave and gentle character may be found under the humblest garb.
Self-HelpSamuel Smiles
Only he had set her on high, where even the humblest woman longs to be set by some one.
A Spirit in PrisonRobert Hichens
humble
- conscious of one's failings
- unpretentious; lowlya humble cottage; my humble opinion
- deferential or servile
- to cause to become humble; humiliate
- to lower in status
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for humblest
humble
adj.
mid-13c., from Old French humble, earlier humele, from Latin humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth." Senses of "not self-asserting" and "of low birth or rank" were both in Middle English Related: Humbly; humbleness.
Don't be so humble; you're not that great. [Golda Meir]
To eat humble pie (1830) is from umble pie (1640s), pie made from umbles "edible inner parts of an animal" (especially deer), considered a low-class food. The similar sense of similar-sounding words (the "h" of humble was not pronounced then) converged in the pun. Umbles, meanwhile, is Middle English numbles "offal" (with loss of n- through assimilation into preceding article).
humble
v.
late 14c. in the intransitive sense of "to render oneself humble;" late 15c. in the transitive sense of "to lower (someone) in dignity;" see humble (adj.). Related: Humbled; humbling.
Idioms and Phrases with humblest
humble
see eat crow (humble pie).