Humility
/hjuːˈmɪlɪti/
Definitions
The quality of having a modest or low estimate of one's own importance; freedom from pride or arrogance.
/hjuːˈmɪlɪti/
A modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.
Despite her achievements, she displayed a remarkable humility.
💡 Simply: Humility is like when you don't think you're the best at everything, and you're happy to learn from others. It's like being a good teammate, not bragging about your skills, but focusing on the team's success. For example, a famous athlete might show humility by giving credit to their coaches and teammates, instead of only focusing on themselves.
👶 For kids: Being humble means you don't think you're better than anyone else and you are nice to everyone.
More Examples
The leader's humility inspired respect among his followers.
True humility involves acknowledging one's flaws.
How It's Used
"Philosophers often discuss humility as a key virtue for moral development."
"Many religions emphasize humility as a path to spiritual growth."
"Her humility made her well-liked by everyone."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
eat humble pie
To admit you were wrong, or to apologize.
"After losing the argument, he had to eat humble pie and apologize for his mistake."
From Old French *humilité*, from Latin *humilitās* ('lowness, insignificance, meanness'), from *humilis* ('low, humble'), from *humus* ('earth, ground').
The word has been used since the 14th century and has been central to discussions of virtue and character.
Memory tip
Think of someone kneeling on the ground (humus - earth) – they are showing humility.
Word Origin
"lowness, insignificance"