Dictionary

modesty en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɒd.ə.sti/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French modestie, from Latin modestia; equivalent to modest + -y.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The quality of being modest; having a limited and not overly high opinion of oneself and one's abilities.
   • At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum. 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
2. (uncountable, usually) Moderate behaviour; reserve.
3. (specifically, uncountable, usually) Pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness.
   • ... but the cars of chaste women have either coverings thrown over them, or white sheets hung over; for instance, on the cars of the female part of the family of the deceased Nawabs Khanduran and Muzaffar Khan, there used generally to be fastened thick dirty white cloths, and in like manner also on their palanquins—although one brother was the chief treasurer, and the other a commander of seven thousand men. And most assuredly this is a requirement of modesty; for one whose palanquin or cart is turned out with much splendour, verily the idea comes to the minds of the sight-seers and common people, that in it there must be some lovely one, bright as the morning, the envy of the fairies. Hence, for the cars or palanquins for women to ride in to be greatly embroidered is, in the opinion of certain men of standing, who are worthy to be trusted, of great infamy. 1871, Sher Ali Afsos, translated by Henry Court, The Araish-i-Mahfil, or, The Ornament of the Assembly, page 31:

Forms

Antonyms

impudence (antonym(s) of “moderate behaviour”) · arrogance (antonym(s) of “quality of being modest”) · immodesty · extravagance (antonym(s) of “moderate behaviour”)

Deriveds

modesty bag · modesty glasses · modesty board · in all modesty · false modesty · plural of modesty · modesty piece · modesty panel · modesty bit · outrage of modesty · overmodesty

Relateds

modestly

Synonyms

humility

Translations (101)

pt modéstia (quality of being modest) · ca modèstia (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ru скро́мность (quality of being modest) · da beskedenhed (quality of being modest) · sh čȅdnōst (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · ca modèstia (quality of being modest) · ru благопристо́йность (moderate behaviour; reserve) · mi whakamōwaitanga (quality of being modest) · ga adhnáire (quality of being modest) · pl skromność (quality of being modest) · cmn 謙虛 /谦虚 (quality of being modest) · sk skromnosť (quality of being modest) · bg скро́мност (quality of being modest) · fa آزرم (quality of being modest) · it modestia (quality of being modest) · cs skromnost (quality of being modest) · la modestia (quality of being modest) · ro modestie (quality of being modest) · hi नम्रता (quality of being modest) · gl modestia (quality of being modest) · ka თავმდაბლობა (quality of being modest) · tr alçakgönüllülük (quality of being modest) · ka მოკრძალება (quality of being modest) · ka თავდაჭერილობა (moderate behaviour; reserve) · uk скро́мність (quality of being modest) · pl skromność (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · de Bescheidenheit (quality of being modest) · fi vaatimattomuus (moderate behaviour; reserve) · grc αἰδημοσύνη (quality of being modest) · ru скро́мность (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · ru стыдли́вость (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · ro rezervă (moderate behaviour; reserve) · hy համեստություն (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ka მოკრძალებულობა (quality of being modest) · az təvazö (quality of being modest) · be скро́мнасць (quality of being modest) · ca pudor (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · sh скро̏мно̄ст (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ru сде́ржанность (moderate behaviour; reserve) · hu szerénység (quality of being modest) · ka თავმდაბლობა (moderate behaviour; reserve) · nl bescheidenheid (quality of being modest) · fi häveliäisyys (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · es modestia (quality of being modest) · sh че̏дно̄ст (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · pl skromność (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ur لاج (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · ru засте́нчивость (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · fi siveys (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · sh скро̏мно̄ст (quality of being modest) · th ความอ่อนน้อมถ่อมตน (quality of being modest) · es modestia (moderate behaviour; reserve) · grc αἰδοσύνη (quality of being modest) · sv blygsamhet (quality of being modest) · sh skrȍmnōst (quality of being modest) · ro puritate (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · el σεμνότητα (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · mi whakamōwaitanga (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ang sċamfæstnes (quality of being modest) · ar حِشْمَة (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · ru сде́ржанность (quality of being modest) · nl gereserveerdheid (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ca reserves (moderate behaviour; reserve) · sl skromnost (quality of being modest) · ja 謙遜 (quality of being modest) · be сці́пласць (quality of being modest) · la pudor (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · ka მორიდებულობა (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ur لاج (quality of being modest) · ur شَرْم (moderate behaviour; reserve) · eo modesteco (quality of being modest) · hi विनम्रता (quality of being modest) · nl schroom (moderate behaviour; reserve) · tr haya (quality of being modest) · ru целому́дрие (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · hy համեստություն (quality of being modest) · ru скро́мность (moderate behaviour; reserve) · txb kwīpe (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · el μετριοφροσύνη (quality of being modest) · ur حَیا (quality of being modest) · hi विनय (moderate behaviour; reserve) · hi शील (moderate behaviour; reserve) · fr modestie (quality of being modest) · fi säädyllisyys (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · lt kuklumas (quality of being modest) · ur آبْرُو (quality of being modest) · bcl kabinian (quality of being modest) · enm schame (moderate behaviour; reserve) · fr pudeur (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · de Sittsamkeit (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · el μετριοπάθεια (moderate behaviour; reserve) · eo seksmodesteco (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · el ταπεινότητα (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · ka ზომიერება (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ro castitate (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · mk скромност (quality of being modest) · es pudor (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · fi vaatimattomuus (quality of being modest) · fi kainous (pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness) · sh skrȍmnōst (moderate behaviour; reserve) · ar تَوَاضُع (quality of being modest)