humbleness, humility

humbleness, humility
Humbleness is a standard word but one now rarely used. It denotes a state of feeling inferior or insignificant, of holding oneself low in rank, position, and importance. Humility is as much overused as humbleness is neglected; it means about what humbleness does: a modest estimate of one's rank or significance. Humility suggests acceptance of one's low station, whereas humbleness merely identifies that position. We acknowledge the humbleness of a man's birth and honor his humility in accepting that origin.

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • humbleness — See humbleness, humility …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • humility — See humbleness, humility …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • Humility — Hu*mil i*ty, n.; pl. {Humilities}. [OE. humilite, OF. humilit[ e], humelit[ e], F. humilit[ e], fr. L. humiliatis. See {Humble}.] 1. The state or quality of being humble; freedom from pride and arrogance; lowliness of mind; a modest estimate of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Humbleness — Hum ble*ness, n. The quality of being humble; humility; meekness. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • humility — [n] humbleness, modesty abasement, bashfulness, demureness, diffidence, docility, fawning, inferiority complex, lack of pride, lowliness, meekness, mortification, nonresistance, obedience, obsequiousness, passiveness, reserve, resignation, self… …   New thesaurus

  • humility — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Lack of pride Nouns 1. humility, humbleness; meekness, lowliness, lowness; [self ] abasement; submission, resignation; modesty, blush, suffusion, confusion. 2. humiliation, degradation, mortification;… …   English dictionary for students

  • Humility — (Roget s Thesaurus) < N PARAG:Humility >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 humility humility humbleness Sgm: N 1 meekness meekness lowness Sgm: N 1 lowliness lowliness lowlihood Sgm: N 1 abasement abasement self abasement …   English dictionary for students

  • humbleness — noun 1. the state of being humble and unimportant • Syn: ↑unimportance, ↑obscureness, ↑lowliness • Derivationally related forms: ↑obscure (for: ↑obscureness), ↑unimportant …   Useful english dictionary

  • humility — noun he accepted the award with sincere humility Syn: modesty, humbleness, meekness, diffidence, unassertiveness; lack of pride, lack of vanity; servility, submissiveness Ant: pride …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • humility — noun The characteristic of being humble; humbleness in spirit and deportment. See Also: humble, humiliate, humiliation, humus …   Wiktionary

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