modest (ˈmɒdɪst
)
Definitions
adjective
- having or expressing a humble opinion of oneself or one's accomplishments or abilities
- reserved or shy ⇒
modest behaviour
- not ostentatious or pretentious
- not extreme or excessive; moderate
- decorous or decent
Alternative Forms
ˈmodestly adverbWord Origin
C16: via Old French from Latin modestus moderate, from modusmodeSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
simple,
homely,
small,
ordinary,
plain,
humble,
low-cost,
inexpensive,
unpretentious,
unostentatious,
unimposing,
=
unpretentious,
simple,
reserved,
retiring,
quiet,
shy,
humble,
discreet,
blushing,
self-conscious,
coy,
meek,
reticent,
unassuming,
self-effacing,
demure,
diffident,
bashful,
aw-shucks,
Translations
- British English:
modest
A modest house or other building is not large or expensive.She lives in a modest apartment.ˈmɒdɪst ADJECTIVE She lives in a modest apartment.
- Spanish:
modesto
adj modesta
- French:
modeste
adj
- German:
bescheiden
adj
- Chinese: 朴素的 adj
- Arabic: مُتَوَاضِعٌ adj
- Portuguese: modesto adj modesta
- Russian: скромный adj скромная
- Croatian: skroman adj skromna
- Czech: skromný adj
- Danish: beskeden adj
- Dutch: bescheiden adj
- Finnish: vaatimaton adj
- Greek: σεμνός adj σεμνή
- Italian: modesto adj modesta
- Japanese: 謙虚な no_posp
- Korean: 겸손한 adj
- Norwegian: beskjeden adj
- Polish: skromny adj skromna
- Brazilian Portuguese: modesto adj modesta
- European Spanish:
modesto
adj modesta
- Swedish: blygsam adj blygsamt
- Thai: ถ่อมตัว adj
- Turkish: alçak gönüllü adj
- Vietnamese: khiêm tốn adj
Usage examples
The room was a fair size, its walls lined with books; a less modest man might have called it a library.
, Double Deceit (1990)Positional play Deep Junior runs on more modest hardware than Deep Blue, using eight commercial processors instead of scores of custom ones.
New Scientist (2003)The reference to a modest premium to the current share price possibly reflects the strong recent rise in the Green share price.
Irish Times (2002)She does not care for celebrity yet her success has been far from modest.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Jeremy Irons had already agreed to play Gabriel for a modest salary.
, DE NIRO: A Biography (2002)