humility

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /hjuˈmɪlɪti/ UK /hjuːˈmɪlɪti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a modest or humble view of one's own importance

Despite his fame, he spoke with genuine humility.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a modest or humble view of... humbleness modesty meeknesslowlinessunpretentiousnessdiffidence

Opposites

pride arrogance conceit vanity haughtiness

Word family

Related forms humble humiliate humiliation

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

Humility makes great men twice honorable

Etymology

From Old French humilite, from Latin humilitas ('lowness, humility'), from humilis ('lowly'), from humus ('ground, earth').

humilitas Latin humus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# humility

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /hjuˈmɪlɪti/
**IPA (UK):** /hjuːˈmɪlɪti/

## Meanings
1. a modest or humble view of one's own importance

## Examples
- Despite his fame, he spoke with genuine humility.

## Synonyms
- humbleness
- modesty
- meekness
- lowliness
- unpretentiousness
- diffidence

## Antonyms
- pride
- arrogance
- conceit
- vanity
- haughtiness

## Related Forms
- humble
- humiliate
- humiliation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: humilitas
- Root: humus

## Etymology
From Old French humilite, from Latin humilitas ('lowness, humility'), from humilis ('lowly'), from humus ('ground, earth').

## AI Etymology
Humility comes from Old French humilite, from Latin humilitas ('lowness, humility'), from humilis ('lowly'), from humus ('ground, earth'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun, it denotes "a modest or humble view of one's own importance", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin humilitas and Latin humus. Related words include humble, humiliate, humiliation.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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