adjectivethird-declension two-termination adjective
humilis
humilis (neuter humile, comparative humilior, superlative humillimus, adverb humiliter)
Classical[ˈhʊ.mɪ.lɪs]Ecclesiastical[ˈuː.mi.lis]
Mille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- two terminationlow, lowly, small, slight; shallow
- two terminationbase, mean, humble, obscure, poor, needy, insignificant, low
- two terminationshort, not tall (of physical stature)
- two terminationsubmissive, abject; (post-Classical) humble (of mind or character)
- two terminationmean, without elevation (of language)
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quī sē parvum facit; nōn altus.humilis -e — in Mille Verba, Aula Rēgia
nōn superbus, modestushumilis -e — in Evangelium secundum Matthaeum, ch. 6, 9
lowly
humilis — in Seneca, ch. XIX
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Tellus · Terra · Solum · Humus
Tellus denotes the earth as a whole, as the centre of the universe, as a goddess, in opp. to other bodies in the universe, or other divinities, like Γαῖα, Γῆ; whereas terra (τέρσω, torreo,) as matter and one of the elements in opp. to the other elements, like γαῖα, γῆ); solum (ὅλον) as a solid element, in opp. especially to water, like πέδον; lastly, humus (χθών, χαμαί), as the lowest part of the visible world, in opp. to the sky, like χθών. Hence the derivative terrenus is in opp. to igneus; solidus is in opp. to fluidus; lastly, humilis, in opp. to sublimis. (i. 173.)
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | humilis | humilis | humile |
| genitive | humilis | humilis | humilis |
| dative | humilī | humilī | humilī |
| accusative | humilem | humilem | humile |
| ablative | humilī | humilī | humilī |
| vocative | humilis | humilis | humile |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | humilēs | humilēs | humilia |
| genitive | humilium | humilium | humilium |
| dative | humilibus | humilibus | humilibus |
| accusative | humilīs humilēs | humilīs humilēs | humilia |
| ablative | humilibus | humilibus | humilibus |
| vocative | humilēs | humilēs | humilia |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- humili, obscuro loco natus
- of humble, obscure origin.
- humilibus (obscuris) parentibus natus
- of humble, obscure origin.
- animo esse humili, demisso (more strongly animo esse fracto, perculso et abiecto) (Att. 3. 2)
- to be cast down, discouraged, in despair.
- cogitationes in res humiles abicere (De Amic. 9. 32) (Opp. alte spectare, ad altiora tendere, altum, magnificum, divinum suspicere)
- to study the commonplace.
hŭmĭlis, e, adj. humus; like χαμαλός from χαμαί, on the ground, i. e.,
I. low, lowly, small, slight (class.; esp. freq. in the trop. signif.).
I. Lit.:
arbores et vites et ea quae sunt humiliora neque se tollere a terra altius possunt, Cic. Tusc. 5, 13, 37; cf.: turrim humilem parvamque fecerant, Caes. B. C. 2, 8, 1 sq.: humilior munitio, id. ib. 3, 63, 2: (naves) humiliores quam quibus in nostro mari uti consuevimus, id. B. G. 5, 1, 2: humiles habitare casas, Verg. E. 2, 29: domus, Hor. C. 3, 1, 22: postes, Ov. M. 8, 639: arcus, id. ib. 3, 30: arae, Val. Fl. 3, 426: virgas humilis mordere salicti, Juv. 11, 67: Forentum, low, situated in the plain, Hor. C. 3, 4, 16; so, Myconos, Ov. M. 7, 463: Italia, Verg. A. 3, 522: humillimo solo aqua diutissime immorata, Just. 2, 1 med.: avi similis, quae circum litora, circum Piscosos scopulos humilis volat aequora juxta, flies low, Verg. A. 4, 255; cf.: decisis humilis pennis, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 50: potest ex deformi humilique corpusculo exire formosus animus ac magnus, small, diminutive, Sen. Ep. 66: brevi atque humili corpore homines, Gell. 19, 13, 3; Curt. 7, 4: humiles Cleonae, little, petty, Ov. M. 6, 417 (in Ptolem. πόλις οὐ μεγάλη): Troja, id. ib. 15, 424: ipse humili designat moenia fossa, i. e. slight, shallow, Verg. A. 7, 157; so, fossa, Tac. A. 1, 61; cf. radix, Plin. Ep. 8, 20, 5.II. Trop.
A. As respects rank, birth, fortune, worth, consideration, etc., low, base, mean, humble, obscure, poor, needy, insignificant (cf.:
supplex, summissus, demissus, abjectus): ut si parentibus nati sint humilibus, Cic. Lael. 17, 90: humiles nati (shortly after: trivio conceptus et educatus stercore), Phaedr. 1, 27, 2: humiles et obscuri homines, Cic. Div. 1, 40, 88; id. Quint. 31, 95: humillimus homo de plebe, Liv. 3, 19, 9; cf.: humilis in plebe et ideo ignobilis puerpera, Plin. 7, 36, 36, § 121: ne latos fines parare studeant potentioresque humiliores possessionibus expellant, Caes. B. G. 6, 22, 3: humiliores, opp. opulentiores, Hirt. B. G. 8, 51 fin.: hos Suevi vectigales sibi fecerunt ac multo humiliores infirmioresque redegerunt, Caes. B. G. 4, 3 fin.: homines humiles, opp. amplissimi viri, Balb. et Opp. ap. Cic. Att. 9, 8, A, 1: satis superque humilis est, qui, etc., Liv. 3, 53, 9: junge tuis humiles, ambitiose, manus, of the servants, Ov. A. A. 2, 254: civitas ignobilis atque humilis, Caes. B. G. 5, 28, 1: humilem sane relinquunt et minime generosum, ut ita dicam, ortum amicitiae, Cic. Lael. 9, 29: Viridomarus, quem Caesar ex humili loco ad summam dignitatem perduxerat, Caes. B. G. 7, 39, 1: qui cogitationes suas abjecerunt in rem tam humilem atque contemptam, Cic. Lael. 9, 32; cf.: nihil abjectum, nihil humile cogitant, id. Fin. 5, 20, 57: aut nulla aut humili aliqua arte praediti, id. Arch. 5, 10: humiles et sordidae curae, Plin. Ep. 1, 3, 3: rei pictor, Plin. 35, 10, 37, § 120 (dub.; Jan. floridissimus): humilis atque obsoletus vestitus, Nep. Ages. 8: agna, poor, humble, Hor. C. 2, 17, 32: fortuna, Juv. 6, 287: domus, id. 11, 171.—Hence, subst.: hŭmĭle, is, n., that which is humble or base, a low station: ex humili potens, Hor. C. 3, 30, 12: quales ex humili magna ad vestigia rerum extollit Fortuna, Juv. 3, 39.— Prov.: Humiles laborant ubi potentes dissident, Phaedr. 1, 30, 1.—2. Of low, mean language: iambus frequentissimus est in iis, quae demisso atque humili sermone dicuntur. Cic. Or. 58, 196:
sermo, Hor. A. P. 229; cf.: neque humilem et abjectam orationem nec nimis altam et exaggeratam probat, Cic. Or. 57, 192: verbum, id. Brut. 79, 274: humilia et vulgaria verba, Quint. 10, 1, 9: translatio, id. 8, 6, 5: si quis sublimia humilibus misceat, id. 8, 3, 60: quae humilia circa res magnas, apta circa minores videntur, id. 8, 3, 18: humile et quotidianum sermonis genus, id. 11, 1, 6: of the author himself: Macer ... humilis, i. e. commonplace, id. 10, 1, 87: nil parvum aut humili modo, Nil mortale loquar, Hor. C. 3, 25, 17.—B. Of mind or character, low, mean, base, abject:
qui umquam apparitor tam humilis? tam abjectus? Cic. Phil. 2, 32, 82: ut ille tum humilis, ut demissus erat! id. Att. 2, 21, 3: humillimus assentator, Vell. 2, 83, 1: neque nos simus tam humiles, ut quae laudamus inutilia credamus, Quint. 11, 1, 13: privata deduci superbo Non humilis mulier triumpho, Hor. C. 1, 37, 32: succumbere doloribus eosque humili animo imbecilloque ferre miserum est, Cic. Fin. 1, 15, 49: animi, Lucr. 6, 52: si prece et obsecratione humili ac supplici utemur, Cic. Inv. 1, 16, 22; 1, 56 init.; cf.: fracto animo, atque humili aliquem supplicare, id. Planc. 20, 50: humillimae preces, Suet. Vit. Luc.: pavor, Verg. G. 1, 331; cf. metus, Val. Fl. 3, 394.—Hence, adv.: hŭmĭlĭter, low, deeply. 1. Lit. (so post-Aug. and very rare):
in loco clivoso humilius rami arborum servandisunt, in plano altius, Pall. 3, 13, 3: eadem facta claritate vel obscuritate facientium vel tolluntur altissime vel humillime deprimuntur, very deeply, Plin. Ep. 6, 24, 1. —2. Trop. (acc. to II. B.), basely, meanly, abjectly, humbly (class.):
non est ausus elate et ample loqui, cum humiliter demisseque sentiret, Cic. Tusc. 5, 9, 24: aut servit humiliter, aut superbe dominatur, Liv. 24, 25, 8: servire alicui, id. 45, 32, 5: audacter territas, humiliter placas, Auct. Her. 4, 20, 28: animose paupertatem ferre, humiliter infamiam, Sen. Ep. 120 med.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
humilis e, adj. with comp. and sup.
humus, low, lowly, small, slight : casae, V.: salictum, Iu.: ea quae sunt humiliora: humilior munitio, Cs.: (naves) humiliores quam, etc., Cs.: domus, H.: Forentum, in the plain , H.: (avis) humilis volat, flies low , V.: fossa, shallow , V.—Fig., low, base, mean, humble, obscure, poor, needy, insignificant : homines: humillimus homo de plebe, L.: humiliores possessionibus expellere, Cs.: satis superque, L.: Cleonae, O.: ex humili loco ad dignitatem perducere, Cs.: res: ars: vestitus, N.: agna, poor , H.: domus, Iu.—As subst n. : ex humili potens, obscurity , H.: Quales ex humili Extollit fortuna, Iu.—Of language, low, common, colloquial : sermo: verbum: humili modo loqui, H.—Of character, low, lowly, mean, base, abject : apparitor: Non humilis mulier, H.: obsecratio: pavor, V.
Origins
From humus + -ilis. The resemblance to Ancient Greek χθαμαλός (khthamalós) is cognate, but probably accidental, and not sufficient to assume a direct inheritance from Proto-Indo-European *dʰǵʰemelo- (a derivative from *dʰéǵʰōm (“earth”)). Compare also Middle English dingle (“depression, hollow”) (from Old English *dyngel).
Descendants
- Catalanhumil
- Englishhumblefrom Old French humble
- Frenchhumblefrom Old French humble
- Italianumile
- Occitanumil
- Portuguesehúmil
- Portuguesehúmile
- Portuguesehumilde
- Romanianumil
- Spanishhumil
In English words that came into English from humilis
- humblehumilis
- humiliatehumiliātus
- humiliationhumiliātiō
- humilityhumilitas
- omertàhumilitās
- humilianthumilians