Humbly

Humbly is an adverb describing an action performed with modesty, deference, or a lack of self-assertiveness. It signals that a speaker or actor is not asserting superiority and is often associated with politeness, respect, or religious or ceremonial contexts. In everyday writing and speech, humbly can soften statements, as in “I humbly submit my proposal” or “We humbly acknowledge the support of the team.”

Etymology reflects its relation to the adjective humble. The word humble comes from Old French humble, which ultimately derives from Latin humilis, meaning “ground, low.” The English adverb form humbly was created by attaching the suffix -ly to the adjective.

Usage notes indicate that humbly is formal and frequently appears in legal, religious, or ceremonial writing. It emphasizes humility or deference; in some contexts it may be read as earnest rather than self-deprecating. It is typically used with verbs such as submit, acknowledge, request, propose, or bow.

Examples include: “The candidate accepted the verdict humbly.” “She bowed humbly.” “We humbly request your consideration.” “He spoke humbly about his role in the project.” While humbly often conveys respect and modesty, it is distinct from adjectives like humble when used to describe a person or thing, and from the noun humility.

See also: humble, humility, modesty, humbleness.