Definition of humbly

The word "humbly" originates from the Old English word "humil", which means "lowly" or "modest". This word is derived from the Latin word "humilis", meaning "modest" or "lowliness". The Latin word is itself derived from the word "humus", meaning "earth" or "ground", likely due to the association of humility with a sense of earthiness or down-to-earthness. In Middle English, the word "humil" evolved into "humblie" or "humbly", which has retained its sense of modesty or lowliness. Today, "humbly" is often used to convey a sense of humility, modesty, or willingness to be corrected or improved, as in phrases such as "to accept a gift humbly" or "to acknowledge a mistake humbly".