humble

英文词源

humble

humble: [13] Etymologically, humble means ‘close to the ground’. It comes via Old French umble from Latin humilis ‘low, lowly’. This was a derivative of humus ‘earth’, which is related to English chameleon and human and was itself acquired by English in the 18th century. In postclassical times the verb humiliāre was formed from humilis, and English gets humiliate [16] from it.
=> chameleon, human, humiliate, humus

humble (adj.)

mid-13c., from Old French humble, earlier humele, from Latin humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth." Senses of "not self-asserting" and "of low birth or rank" were both in Middle English Related: Humbly; humbleness.

Don't be so humble; you're not that great. [Golda Meir]

To eat humble pie (1830) is from umble pie (1640s), pie made from umbles "edible inner parts of an animal" (especially deer), considered a low-class food. The similar sense of similar-sounding words (the "h" of humble was not pronounced then) converged in the pun. Umbles, meanwhile, is Middle English numbles "offal" (with loss of n- through assimilation into preceding article).

humble (v.)

late 14c. in the intransitive sense of "to render oneself humble;" late 15c. in the transitive sense of "to lower (someone) in dignity;" see humble (adj.). Related: Humbled; humbling.