modest

adjective

MO-duhst/ˈmɑdəst/UKMOD-ist/ˈmɒdɪst/

4 meanings of modest

1
adjective
Not bragging or boasting about oneself or one's achievements; humble and unpretentious.
Despite her remarkable success, she remained modest about her contributions.
He gave a modest shrug when reporters praised his record-breaking performance.
Similarhumble, unpretentious, meek, self-effacing, demure
Oppositearrogant, immodest
2
adjective
Small or moderate in size, amount, or degree; not large.
The company reported modest gains in its quarterly earnings.
She earns a modest salary but manages to save a little each month.
Similarsmall, moderate, little, average, medium
Oppositeimmodest
3
adjective
Dressing or behaving so as to avoid encouraging sexual attraction in others.
The dress code required modest attire that covered the shoulders and knees.
Raised to be modest, she felt uncomfortable in anything revealing.
Similarplain, simple, chaste, austere, unadorned
Oppositeprovocative, sexy, sensual, flamboyant
4
adjective
Pure and delicate in thought, speech, or conduct, out of a sense of propriety.
A modest reserve kept her from discussing such delicate subjects openly.
The letters he wrote her were tender but modest, without a single coarse word in them.
Similarchaste, demure, virginal, prudish
Oppositeimmodest, obscene

Practice

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Origin

From Middle French modeste, itself from Latin modestus.