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humble

/ˈhʌmbəl/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)/ˈʌmbəl/ (Received-Pronunciation, Southern-US, archaic)/ˈhʊmbəl/ (Northern-England)syllables: hum·ble
  • adjective
  • noun
  • verb
  • from Old French

Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.

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1 All current definitions

Every sense of “humble” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

adjective · etymology 1

  1. Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.

    He lives in a humble one-bedroom cottage.

  2. Having a low position or a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.

    Rosol's 65 winners to Nadal's 41 was one of the crucial statistics in the 3hr 18min match that ended in a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 triumph labelled a "miracle" by Rosol, who was humble enough to offer commiserations to Nadal.2012 June 28, Jamie Jackson, “Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal”, in The Guardian, London:

Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

noun · etymology 1

  1. People with a low position or a low opinion of themselves; those who are not proud, arrogant, or assuming.

    But he giueth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proude, but giueth grace vnto the humble.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, James 4:6:

  2. slangAn arrest based on weak evidence intended to demean or punish the subject.

    You're on a corner in my district, it ain't gonna be about no humble, it ain't gonna be about no loitering charge, nothing like that. There gonna be some biblical shit happening to you on the way to that motherfucking jail wagon.2004 October 17, Ed Burns, “Straight and True”, in The Wire, season 3, episode 5 (television production), spoken by Howard "Bunny" Colvin (Robert Wisdom), via HBO:

Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

verb · etymology 2

  1. ambitransitiveTo defeat or reduce the power, independence, or pride of.

    Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues have humbled to all strokes.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act

  2. oftenreflexivetransitiveTo make humble or lowly; to make less proud or arrogant; to make meek and submissive.

    And you say you've been humbled in love / Cut down in your love / Forced to kneel in the mud next to me1979 September 27, Leonard Cohen, “Humbled in Love”, in Recent Songs:

Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

verb · etymology 3

No current senses for this part of speech — see older senses.

Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. intransitiveobsoleteTo hum.
Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (6)
  1. verbcause to be unpretentious
  2. verbcause to feel shame; hurt the pride of — also: humiliate, mortify, chagrin, abase
  3. adjectivelow or inferior in station or quality — also: low, lowly, modest, small
  4. adjectivemarked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful; ; - B.K.Malinowski
  5. adjectiveused of unskilled work (especially domestic work) — also: menial, lowly
  6. adjectiveof low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense) — also: base, baseborn, lowly
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: abased, demure, diffident, humble, humble-hearted, low, lowly, meek, mild, modest, poor, resigned

Antonyms: arrogant, immodest

Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

Etymology 1 (adjective, noun)

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)humble
  2. Middle Englishhumble
  3. Old Frenchhumble
  4. Latinhumilis “low, slight, hence mean, humble”
  5. Latinhumus “the earth, ground”

From Middle English humble, from Old French humble, umble, humle, from Latin humilis (“low, slight, hence mean, humble”) (compare Greek χαμηλός (khamēlós, “on the ground, low, trifling”)), from humus (“the earth, ground”), humi (“on the ground”). See homage, and compare chameleon, humiliate. Displaced native Old English ēaþmōd.

Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Etymology 2 (verb)

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)humble
  2. Middle Englishhumblen “to humble”
  3. Middle Englishthe

From Middle English humblen (“to humble”), from the adjective above.

Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Etymology 3 (verb)

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)humble
  2. Middle English*humblen

From Middle English *humblen, *humbelen (suggested by humblynge (“a humming, a faint rumbling”)), frequentative of Middle English hummen (“to hum”), equivalent to hum + -le.

Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “humble”

enhumblehumblebraghumbleheadhumble-heartedhumble-heartednesshumblenesshumblenessehumblesomehumblessehumblifyhumblishunhumbleunhumblenesshumblehoodhumblerhumblyrehumble

Phrases & compounds

eat humble piehumble piehumble plantin my humble opinion

Related terms

humblenesshumiliatehumiliationhumilityashameddejectedembarrassedreservedservilesubmissivecautiousmoderateshyhumblebee
Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “humble” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “humble” came from before it was English.

Etymology 1 (adjective, noun)

Came into English from
Old French
Old French humble
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin humus “the earth, ground”

Etymology 2 (verb)

Native English word, from
Middle English
Middle English the

Etymology 3 (verb)

Native English word, from
Middle English
Middle English *humblen
Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Latin
“the earth, ground”
Latin humus
Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

humble a. [F., fr. L. humilis on the ground, low, fr. humus the earth, ground. See Homage, and cf. Chameleon, Humiliate.]

  1. Near the ground; not high or lofty.
  2. Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming; modest; as, a humble cottage. Used to describe objects.
  3. Thinking lowly of one's self; claiming little for one's self; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; thinking one's self ill-deserving or unworthy, when judged by the demands of God; lowly; weak; modest. Used to describe people.

humble a.

  1. Hornless. See Hummel.

humble v. t.

  1. To bring low; to reduce the power, independence, or exaltation of; to lower; to abase; to humilate.
  2. To make humble or lowly in mind; to abase the pride or arrogance of; to reduce the self-sufficiently of; to make meek and submissive; -- often used rexlexively.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

adjectiveMeaning: Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.

He lives in a humble one-bedroom cottage.

17th century, Abraham Cowley, The Shortness of Life and Uncertainty of Riches The wise example of the heavenly lark. Thy fellow poet, Cowley, mark, Above the clouds let thy proud music sound, Thy humble nest build on the ground.

adjectiveMeaning: Having a low position or a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.

Rosol's 65 winners to Nadal's 41 was one of the crucial statistics in the 3hr 18min match that ended in a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 triumph labelled a "miracle" by Rosol, who was humble enough to offer commiserations to Nadal.2012 June 28, Jamie Jackson, “Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal”, in The Guardian, London:

nounMeaning: People with a low position or a low opinion of themselves; those who are not proud, arrogant, or assuming.

But he giueth more grace, wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proude, but giueth grace vnto the humble.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, James 4:6:

c. 590 AD: Liber Regulae Pastoralis by Pope Gregory I "The humble are to be admonished not to be more submissive than is right".

nounMeaning: An arrest based on weak evidence intended to demean or punish the subject.

You're on a corner in my district, it ain't gonna be about no humble, it ain't gonna be about no loitering charge, nothing like that. There gonna be some biblical shit happening to you on the way to that motherfucking jail wagon.2004 October 17, Ed Burns, “Straight and True”, in The Wire, season 3, episode 5 (television production), spoken by Howard "Bunny" Colvin (Robert Wisdom), via HBO:

Years ago, guys on Baltimore's streets would have, by definition, called an arrest for loitering a "humble."2005 April 23, Gregory Kane, “'Jive humble' arrests help fill Central Booking's cell”, in Baltimore Sun:

verbMeaning: To defeat or reduce the power, independence, or pride of.

Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues have humbled to all strokes.c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act

Humble yourselues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God, that hee may exalt you in due time,1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Peter 5:6:

verbMeaning: To make humble or lowly; to make less proud or arrogant; to make meek and submissive.

And you say you've been humbled in love / Cut down in your love / Forced to kneel in the mud next to me1979 September 27, Leonard Cohen, “Humbled in Love”, in Recent Songs:

The final, quiet moments of the book return to Sten; his experience of his sick son humbles him, just as his aging body humbles him, and Boyle seems to suggest this makes him a better man.2015 April 8, Dana Spiotta, “T. C. Boyle’s ‘The Harder They Come’”, in The New York Times:

verbMeaning: cause to be unpretentious

This experience will humble him

adjectiveMeaning: low or inferior in station or quality

a humble cottage

adjectiveMeaning: marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful; ; - B.K.Malinowski

a humble apology

essentially humble...and self-effacing, he achieved the highest formal honors and distinctions

adjectiveMeaning: of low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense)

of humble (or lowly) birth

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “humble” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 7

Say it, then spell it

humble

/ˈhʌmbəl/ · hum·ble

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

humble

/ˈhʌmbəl/ · hum·ble · adjective, noun, verb

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “humble” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (adjective) Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.
2. (adjective) Having a low position or a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.
3. (noun) People with a low position or a low opinion of themselves; those who are not proud, arrogant, or assuming.
4. (noun) An arrest based on weak evidence intended to demean or punish the subject.
5. (verb) To defeat or reduce the power, independence, or pride of.

Step 3 — History and origin

Which language did “humble” come into English from?   A. Middle French  B. Late Latin  C. New Latin  D. Old French

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “humble” and what each means:

Step 4 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Latin humus. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 5 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “humble” to mean: Not pretentious or magnificent; unpretending; unassuming.
Write a sentence using “humble” to mean: Having a low position or a low opinion of oneself; not proud, arrogant, or assuming; modest.
Write a sentence using “humble” to mean: People with a low position or a low opinion of themselves; those who are not proud, arrogant, or assuming.

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — humble

Origin: D. Old French (Old French humble)

Journey: English humble ← Middle English humble ← Old French humble ← Latin humilis ← Latin humus

Some derivatives: enhumble, humblebrag, humblehead, humble-hearted, humble-heartedness, humbleness, humblenesse, humblesome

Original meaning: Latin humus — “the earth, ground”

Etymology: From Middle English humble, from Old French humble, umble, humle, from Latin humilis (“low, slight, hence mean, humble”) (compare Greek χαμηλός (khamēlós, “on the ground, low, trifling”)), from humus (“the earth, ground”), humi (“on the ground”). See homage, and compare chameleon, humiliate. Displaced native Old English ēaþmōd.

Sources: Wiktionary “humble” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/humble#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/humble