lowly

American  

[loh-lee] / ˈloʊ li /

adjective

lowlier, lowliest

1. humble in station, condition, or nature.

   a lowly cottage.

2. low in growth or position.

3. humble in attitude, behavior, or spirit; meek.

   Synonyms:

   unpretentious, simple, modest

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adverb

1. in a low position, manner, or degree.

   a lowly placed shelf.

2. in a lowly manner; humbly.

3. in a quiet voice; softly.

   to converse lowly.

lowly British  

/ ˈləʊlɪ /

adjective

1. humble or low in position, rank, status, etc

2. full of humility; meek

3. simple, unpretentious, or plain

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adverb

1. in a low or lowly manner

Other Word Forms

• lowlily adverb
• lowliness noun
• unlowly adjective

Etymology

Origin of lowly

A Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at low ¹, -ly

Explanation

Lowly things aren't considered to be important or impressive. Your lowly position on a sports team might make you best suited to carry all of the players' equipment. When a person is described as lowly, the world often refers to their job or social class. A lowly janitor might not get as much respect as the CEO of a huge company, even if she's a kinder person. A lowly member of an AAA baseball team might only dream about joining the major leagues. The adjective lowly has been around since the 14th century, from low, "not high," and also "humble in rank."

Example Sentences

One lowly bacterium possesses a flagellum—a tiny tail or rotor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

About 10% fall to the lowly one-star category.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

After the Mavericks, they’ll have tough games against Oklahoma City, Golden State and Phoenix before finishing against lowly Utah on April 12.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

The rap legend is a lowly third, behind Bruno Mars.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

Or, as one scholar put it, “Despite their lowly status, they are capable of living jubilantly.”

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin

Related Words

• humble