modest means not bragging or boasting about oneself or one's achievements; unpretentious, humble. It carries an Arena rating of 1523, earned across 4 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, modest ranks #476 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #1,926 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #6,177 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #6,588 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
modest is pronounced /ˈmɑdəst/.
Why “modest” is a great word
Having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one's own importance, abilities, or achievements; also, moderate or small in amount, size, or value. From Middle French *modeste*, from Latin *modestus* ("moderate, restrained, keeping due measure"). Unlike "humble," which can imply a more profound self-abnegation, or "pretentious," which is a performance of exaggerated worth, modest suggests a quiet calibration of presence—neither vanishing nor looming. It is the simple dress worn without fanfare, the understated home that reveals its craftsmanship on closer inspection, and the accomplishment mentioned only when asked—a quiet discipline against the noisy gravity of the self, the art of knowing that enough is enough.
Etymology
From Middle French modeste, from Latin modestus.
adj
- Not bragging or boasting about oneself or one's achievements; unpretentious, humble.
- Small, moderate in size.e.g.“He earns a modest amount of money.”
- Pure and delicate from a sense of propriety.e.g.“modest thoughts or language”
- Intending to avoid the encouraging of sexual attraction in others.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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