meekness

Meekness is a moral virtue characterized by mildness, gentleness, patience, and restrained behavior. It often implies strength held in check rather than weakness, including self-control, humility, and nonaggression toward others.

The word me ek derives from Old English meek, ultimately from Proto-Germanic meaning tame or gentle. In Christian tradition, meekness is a virtue highlighted in the Sermon on the Mount and linked to humility and trust in divine justice; it is not the same as passivity.

Ethical and religious dimensions: Meekness in Christianity involves gentleness in speech and action, forgiveness, and a willingness to endure injustice without retaliation. Other traditions describe similar ideals as humility, self-control, or restraint, emphasizing inner strength rather than outward dominance.

In secular psychology and cultural discourse, meekness is sometimes viewed as low aggression and a cooperative temperament, or as humility rather than weakness. Modern usage can frame meekness as pejorative or as a disciplined form of power, depending on context and interpretation.

See also: humility, gentleness, patience.