humiliation

English

Etymology

From Middle French humiliation, from Late Latin humiliatio, from humiliare (“to humiliate”); see humiliate.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

humiliation (countable and uncountable, plural humiliations)

1. The act of humiliating or humbling someone; abasement of pride; mortification.
   • 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:

     Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […].  Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.

2. The state of being humiliated, humbled or reduced to lowliness or submission.
   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Season”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. , volume III, London: Henry Colburn, , →OCLC, page 2:

     Loving and beloved by him, how different would her destiny have been! An utter sense of desolation came over her; a terror of the future, an overwhelming agony in the present. That he, of all others, should be the one to witness her humiliation!

   • 1936, Dale Carnegie, “Part 6, Chapter 1. HOW TO DIG YOUR MARITAL GRAVE IN THE QUICKEST POSSIBLE WAY.”, in How to Win Friends and Influence People, page 264:

         One morning Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln were having breakfast when Lincoln did something that aroused the fiery temper of his wife. What, no one remembers now. But Mrs. Lincoln, in a rage, dashed a cup of hot coffee into her husband's face. And she did it in front of the other boarders.
         Saying nothing, Lincoln sat there in humiliation and silence while Mrs. Early came with a wet towel and wiped off his face and clothes.

   • 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 48:

     They listened to the sound of Fanny’s retreating footsteps. ‘Well, well!’ said Marcus. ‘Oh, take no notice Jess. You know what our Frances Maud is like! It’s nothing to cry about!’ To her humiliation Jessamy found there were tears trickling down her cheeks.

Synonyms

• abasement
• dishonor
• embarrassment
• mortification
• shame

Antonyms

• exaltation
• honor

Derived terms

Related terms

• humble
• humiliate
• humiliating
• humility

Translations

Further reading

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

French

Etymology

From Late Latin humiliātiōnem.

Pronunciation

• ^{(mute h)} IPA^(key): /y.mi.lja.sjɔ̃/

• Audio (Paris)

  (file)

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

humiliation f (plural humiliations)

1. a humiliation, active or passive

   Synonym: abaissement

Related terms

• humiliant

References

• Nouveau Petit Larousse illustré. Dictionnaire encyclopédique. Paris, Librairie Larousse, 1952, 146th edition

Further reading

• “humiliation”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.