HUMILITY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does humility mean? 

• HUMILITY (noun)
  The noun HUMILITY has 2 senses:

1. a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride

2. a humble feeling

  Familiarity information: HUMILITY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HUMILITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

humbleness; humility

Context example:

not everyone regards humility as a virtue

Hypernyms ("humility" is a kind of...):

trait (a distinguishing feature of your personal nature)

Attribute:

humble (marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "humility"):

meekness; subduedness (a disposition to be patient and long suffering)

Antonym:

conceit (the trait of being unduly vain and conceited; false pride)

Derivation:

humble (marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A humble feeling

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

humbleness; humility

Context example:

he was filled with humility at the sight of the Pope

Hypernyms ("humility" is a kind of...):

feeling (the experiencing of affective and emotional states)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "humility"):

meekness; submission (the feeling of patient, submissive humbleness)

self-depreciation (a feeling of being of little worth)

Antonym:

pride (a feeling of self-respect and personal worth)

 Context examples 

I found Uriah Heep among the company, in a suit of black, and in deep humility.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

To call or to fancy it a loss, a disappointment, would be a presumption for which she had not words strong enough to satisfy her own humility.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The patience and the humility of the face she loved so well was a better lesson to Jo than the wisest lecture, the sharpest reproof.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Her husband, but with great humility, did not see the force of her objection.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

He came up to me, and after several questions, which I answered in great humility, he said, “we should not die.”

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

“Your humility, Mr. Bingley,” said Elizabeth, “must disarm reproof.”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

She showed it in the proud humility of her eyes, in every caressing movement of her proudly carried body, and in the way she hung upon his speech.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I asked of God, at once in anguish and humility, if I had not been long enough desolate, afflicted, tormented; and might not soon taste bliss and peace once more.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Nothing, but that the lessons of her past folly might teach her humility and circumspection in future.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The team dispersed in ignominious defeat, and it was not until after dark that the dogs came sneaking back, one by one, by meekness and humility signifying their fealty to White Fang.

(White Fang, by Jack London)