humble English · revision 7732

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1250|origins=la humilis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhʌmbəl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English umble, later humble, [[bor|fro|umble|t=humble]], humble, earlier humele,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Latin [[m|la|humilis|t=lowly, humble]], literally on the ground,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) from [[m|la|humus|t=earth, ground]] (see [[humus]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from PIE [[ine-pro|*dʰéǵʰōm|alt=*dhghem-|t=earth]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) Barnhart notes that the b inserted in Old French is typical of words that lost a vowel between m and l.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of persons, modest, not proud: about 1250 in the OED, about 1275 in Barnhart;^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) humble about 1375, in Chaucer.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of things, lowly in kind or condition, and of persons, of low birth or rank, it is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It was used formally in subscriptions to letters (''your humble servant'') from about 1386.^(OED 1989) Of plants, low-growing, it is from 1658.^(OED 1989) The verb, to make humble, is from about 1380.^(Barnhart 1988) Word Origins notes that ''humble pie'' was originally umble pie, made of a deer's innards, the umbles, and that the pun on humble came later.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1250 – modest.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1380 – the verb.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1386 – of lowly condition; in letters.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1658 – of plants.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Modest; not proud or [[arrogant]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Showing respect; [[deferential]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Low in rank or condition; unpretentious: ''a humble cottage''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To lower the pride of; to [[humiliate]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make modest in spirit.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[humbleness]]

+ * [[humbler]]

+ * [[humbly]]

+ * [[humblingly]]

+ * [[unhumble]]

+ * [[humble pie]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[humiliate]]

+ * [[humiliation]]

+ * [[humility]]

+ * [[humus]]

+ * [[human]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}