Humble
/ˈhʌm.bəl/noun
Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance.
Did you know?Humble ultimately comes from Latin humilis, meaning “low” or “on the ground,” from humus, “earth,” so its oldest sense is literally tied to being close to the soil.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dhghem-
“earth, ground”
Latin
Latin
humus
“earth, soil, ground”
Latin
Latin
humilis
“low, near the ground, insignificant”
Old French
Old French
umble / humble
“lowly, modest”
Middle English
English
humble
“low in rank or spirit; modest”
Modern English
English
humble
“having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance”