Modesty

How to spell modesty

7 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce modesty

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does modesty mean?

1. nounA humble, unassuming attitude that avoids boasting about one's abilities or achievements.
2. nounDecency or restraint in behaviour, dress, or speech that avoids being indecent or showy.

Modesty in a sentence

• With characteristic modesty, she credited the whole team for the award.

• The dress code asked visitors to observe modesty when entering the temple.

• His modesty kept him from mentioning the prize he had won.

• Out of modesty, she changed behind a screen rather than in the open room.

Where does modesty come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin modestus, an adjective meaning 'keeping within proper bounds' or 'moderate', which was built on modus, the Latin word for 'measure' or 'limit'. The underlying idea was someone who stays within sensible measure rather than overreaching, so the noun modestia originally described restraint and a sense of proportion in conduct. English took the word through French in the sixteenth century, when modestie carried the senses of humility and decorum. Over time the meaning split between two everyday ideas: a quiet refusal to boast and a propriety in dress or behaviour. The same modus root sits inside relatives such as 'moderate', 'mode' and 'modify', which is a useful reminder that the spelling keeps the d of modus and ends in the noun suffix -y rather than a tricky -ie.

How the word is built

• modest (from Latin modestus: keeping within measure)
• -y (noun-forming suffix)