Humble
Middle English: from Old French, from Latin humilis ‘low, lowly’, from humus ‘ground’.
wiktionary
From Middle English humble, from Old French humble, umble, humle, from Latin humilis(“low, slight, hence mean, humble”) (compare Greek χαμαλός(khamalós, “on the ground, low, trifling”)), from humus(“the earth, ground”), humi(“on the ground”). See homage, and compare chameleon, humiliate. Displaced native Old English ēaþmōd.
The verb is from Middle English humblen(“to humble”).
From Middle English *humblen, *humbelen (suggested by humblynge(“a humming, a faint rumbling”)), frequentative of Middle English hummen(“to hum”), equivalent to hum + -le.
humble (plural humbles)
etymonline
humble (adj.)
late 13c., of persons, "submissive, respectful, lowly in manner, modest, not self-asserting, obedient," from Old French humble, umble, earlier umele, from Latin humilis "lowly, humble," literally "on the ground," from humus "earth," from PIE root *dhghem- "earth." From late 14c., of things, "lowly in kind, state, condition, or amount," also "of low birth or rank." Related: Humbly.
Don't be so humble; you're not that great. [Golda Meir]
humble (v.)
late 14c., "render oneself humble" (intrans.), also "to bend, kneel or bow;" late 15c. "lower (someone) in dignity" (trans.); see humble (adj.). Related: Humbled; humbling.
