modesty

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈmɑdəsti/ UK /ˈmɒdɪsti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being unassuming about one's abilities or achievements

With characteristic modesty, she credited the whole team for the win.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being... humilityunpretentiousnessreserve decorum demureness reticence

Opposites

arrogance conceit vanityimmodesty

Word family

Related forms modest modestly moderate

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

Great modesty often hides great merit

Etymology

From Middle French modestie, from Latin modestia ('moderation, sense of honor'), from modestus ('moderate'), from modus ('measure').

modestia Latin modus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# modesty

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

## Meanings
1. the quality of being unassuming about one's abilities or achievements

## Examples
- With characteristic modesty, she credited the whole team for the win.

## Synonyms
- humility
- unpretentiousness
- reserve
- decorum
- demureness
- reticence

## Antonyms
- arrogance
- conceit
- vanity
- immodesty

## Related Forms
- modest
- modestly
- moderate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: modestia
- Root: modus

## Etymology
From Middle French modestie, from Latin modestia ('moderation, sense of honor'), from modestus ('moderate'), from modus ('measure').

## AI Etymology
Modesty comes from Middle French modestie, from Latin modestia ('moderation, sense of honor'), from modestus ('moderate'), from modus ('measure'). The etymological trail includes Latin modestia, Latin modus. The same word family includes modest, modestly, moderate. Its current noun use means "the quality of being unassuming about one's abilities or achievements".

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown