Wiktionary

modesty

English

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈmɒd.ə.sti/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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modesty (usually uncountable, plural modesties)

  1. The quality of being modest; having a limited and not overly high opinion of oneself and one's abilities.
    • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
      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.
  2. Moderate behaviour; reserve.
  3. (specifically) Pudency, avoidance of sexual explicitness.
    • 1871, Henry Court translating Sher Ali Afsos as The Araish-i-Mahfil, or, The Ornament of the Assembly, p. 31:
      ... 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.

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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