DictionaryAI

humble

HUM-buhl/ˈhʌmbəl/

Verbhumbles, humbling, humbled

5 meanings of humble

Practice

  1. 1
    not proudadjective
    Modest about yourself, and not acting proud or better than other people.

    Like someone who wins but still claps for everyone else.

    She stayed humble even after winning the big prize.

    He is a humble man who never brags about his success.

    UsageSay someone stays humble, or is humble enough to say sorry.

    Similarmodest, unassuming

    Oppositearrogant, proud, conceited, boastful

    Note
  2. 2
    plainadjective
    Simple and plain, not large, fancy, or grand.

    Like a plain packed lunch next to a meal at a fancy restaurant.

    They lived in a humble little house at the edge of town.

    He built his business from humble beginnings in a small garage.

    UsageOften said as from humble beginnings.

    Similarmodest, simple, lowly, unpretentious, plain

    Oppositegrand, pretentious, lavish, ostentatious

    Note
  3. 3
    verbreflexivetransitive
    To make someone feel less proud or important, often by beating them.

    Like letting the air out of a balloon that grew too big.

    The loss humbled the team and made them work harder.

    A good teacher can humble a student without making them feel small.

    UsageOften be humbled by something. In a thank-you, I'm humbled means you feel honored.

    Similarhumiliate, chasten, deflate, shame, abase

    Oppositeexalt, elevate

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    verbobsoleteintransitive
    To make a low, soft sound, like a bee or like someone humming.
    Note
  2. 5
    nounslang
    An arrest made on weak evidence just to punish or embarrass someone.
    Years ago, guys on Baltimore's streets would have, by definition, called an arrest for loitering a "humble."
    2005, Gregory Kane, “'Jive humble' arrests help fill Central Booking's cell”

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of humble apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2

It came from Latin humilis, meaning 'low', which came from humus, meaning 'the earth' or 'ground'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

Meaning 3

It came from the Middle English verb humblen, meaning 'to humble', made from the adjective humble.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Meaning 4

It may come from a Middle English word related to humming, formed from hummen ('to hum').

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact

  • Humble, in its humming sense, may derive from a reconstructed Middle English word formed from hummen, meaning 'to hum'. en.wiktionary.org