Hu*mil"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Humilities (#). [OE. humilite, OF. humilit'e, humelit'e, F. humilit'e, fr. L. humiliatis. See Humble.] 1. The state or quality of being humble; freedom from pride and arrogance; lowliness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth; a sense of one's own unworthiness through imperfection and sinfulness; self-abasement; humbleness.
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind.
Acts xx. 19.
2. An act of submission or courtesy.
With these humilities they satisfied the young king.
Sir J. Davies.
Syn. -- Lowliness; humbleness; meekness; modesty; diffidence. -- Humility, Modesty, Diffidence. Diffidence is a distrust of our powers, combined with a fear lest our failure should be censured, since a dread of failure unconnected with a dread of censure is not usually called diffidence. It may be carried too far, and is not always, like modesty and humility, a virtue. Modesty, without supposing self-distrust, implies an unwillingness to put ourselves forward, and an absence of all over-confidence in our own powers. Humility consists in rating our claims low, in being willing to waive our rights, and take a lower place than might be our due. It does not require of us to underrate ourselves.
© Webster 1913. | 
