humiliate

English

Etymology

From Late Latin humiliatus, past participle of humiliare (“to abase, humble”), from Latin humilis (“lowly, humble”), from humus (“ground; earth, soil”); see humble.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hjuːˈmɪliˌeɪt/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Verb

humiliate (third-person singular simple present humiliates, present participle humiliating, simple past and past participle humiliated)

1. (transitive) To cause to be ashamed; to injure the dignity and self-respect of.

   Synonyms: debase, demean, disgrace, mortify, shame; see also Thesaurus:abash

2. (transitive) To make humble; to lower in condition or status.

   Synonym: humble

   Antonyms: dignify, honor

Related terms

• humble
• humiliation
• humility

Translations

Further reading

• “humiliate”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “humiliate”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /hu.mi.liˈaː.te/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /u.mi.liˈa.te/,

Verb

humiliāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of humiliō