humble. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

humble

SYLLABICATION:	hum·ble
PRONUNCIATION:	hmbl
ADJECTIVE:	Inflected forms: hum·bler, hum·blest 1. Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful. 2. Showing deferential or submissive respect: a humble apology. 3. Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly: a humble cottage.
TRANSITIVE VERB:	Inflected forms: hum·bled, hum·bling, hum·bles 1. To curtail or destroy the pride of; humiliate. 2. To cause to be meek or modest in spirit. 3. To give a lower condition or station to; abase. See synonyms at degrade.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English, from Old French, from Latin humilis, low, lowly, from humus, ground. See dhghem- in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:	humble·ness —NOUN humbler —NOUN humbly —ADVERB


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.