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humilis

Etymology and origin of the Latin word humilis

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Latin (humus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈhʊ.mɪ.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈuː.mi.lis][1]

Forms

humilis (neuter humile, comparative humilior, superlative humillimus, adverb humiliter); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from humus “ground” with the suffix -ilis, literally “near the ground”.[2][1][3] Wiktionary notes its likeness to Ancient Greek χθαμαλός (khthamalós, “near the ground”), which it takes to be probably accidental.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, of humble people.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant low, not rising far from the ground, as in Caesar, and in Accius low-lying.[2] In Terence it meant humble, lowly in rank, in Cicero suited to humble people, submissive, abject, in Horace humbled, and in the Rhetorica ad Herennium mean, ignoble.[2]

In Christian Latin it meant humble in the spiritual sense.[5][6] British Medieval Latin used it of people of low birth, of communities and of lowly things.[7] It survives in Italian umile and Spanish humilde, and through Old French humble it gave English humble in the late 13th century.[1][3]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of humble people.[2][4]
  • 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it of the low-lying.[2][4]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of the low.[2][4]
  • late 13th century – English humble is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Low; low-lying.[2]
  2. Humble, lowly.[2]
  3. Humbled; submissive, abject.[2]
  4. Mean, ignoble.[2]
  5. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Humble in spirit.[5]

Word family

  • humilifico
  • humiliō
  • humilitās
  • humiliātiō
  • humiliter
  • humilitō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Humilis.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/humilis. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·