modest

modest

mod‧est /ˈmɒdəst, ˈmɒdɪst $ ˈmɑː-/ BrE AmE adjective
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: modestus]
1. NOT PROUD someone who is modest does not want to talk about their abilities or achievements OPP immodest, boastful
modest about
He was always modest about his role in the Everest expedition.
You’re too modest! You’ve been a huge help to us.
2. NOT BIG not very great, big, or expensive:
a modest increase in costs
She had saved a modest amount of money.
The new service proved a modest success.
a modest house with a small garden
his modest ambitions
3. SHY shy about showing your body or attracting sexual interest, because you are easily embarrassed OPP immodest:
She was a modest girl, always keeping covered, even in summer.
4. CLOTHES old-fashioned modest clothing covers the body in a way that does not attract sexual interest:
a modest knee-length dress
—modestly adverb:
‘I was just lucky,’ he said modestly.
modestly priced meals
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THESAURUS
▪ modest not wanting to talk about your abilities or achievements and to say that you are good at something, even when you are – used to show approval: Miller, a quiet, modest man, gave credit to Asher for the initial discovery. | She was surprisingly modest about her own achievements as a player.
▪ self-effacing written not wanting to talk about yourself or to attract attention: Her husband was a quiet, self-effacing man who spent much of his time in his study.
▪ unassuming not wanting to be noticed and not expecting to be treated in a special way: By now Chapman was famous, but he remained as unassuming as ever. | He then began, in typically unassuming fashion, to establish the first modern dance company.
▪ humble believing that you are not more important, better, or cleverer than other people, and therefore not expecting to be treated in a special way: A good leader is humble enough to get advice from experts.
▪ unpretentious not trying to seem better than other people, even if you are rich, famous, clever etc: President Eisenhower was a friendly and unpretentious man who seemed to embody American virtues. | It's his unpretentious boyish charm that ensures Jackie Chan's position as one of the giants of international cinema.
▪ self-deprecating written behaving or talking about your own abilities or achievements in a way that makes them seem unimportant: Despite his intellect, he had an appealing self-deprecating humour. | The nice thing about him is his self-deprecating manner. His intellectual ability was never pushed at you, yet he obviously had great potential. | a self-deprecating smile