modest meaning
modest :
humble, not too proud
adjective
▪ She is modest about her success.
▪ She is humble about her success.
▪ He gave a modest answer.
▪ He gave a humble answer.
paraphrasing
▪ simple – not fancy
▪ moderate – not extreme
▪ unassuming – not showing off
▪ reserved – quiet and not showing feelings
Pronunciation
modest [ˈmɒdɪst]
The stress is on 'mod' and sounds like 'mod-ist'.
Common phrases and grammar about modest
modest - Common meaning
adjective
humble, not too proud
Part of Speech Changes for "modest"
▪ modesty (noun) – the quality of being humble
▪ modestly (adverb) – in a humble way
Common Expressions with "modest"
▪ modest income – not a large amount of money
▪ modest house – a simple and not large house
▪ modest achievement – a small success
▪ modest proposal – a simple suggestion
Important examples of modest in TOEIC
Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC vocabulary questions, modest often describes something not large or expensive.
Example of a confusing word: moderate (average in amount, intensity, or degree)
Grammar examples from the TOEIC test
Modest is used as an adjective and can modify nouns like income, house, or proposal in TOEIC questions.
modest
Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC
modest proposal
'simple suggestion', often used in business settings.
keep a low profile
means 'to not attract attention', similar to being modest.
Differences between similar words and modest
modest
,
humble
differences
Modest means not too proud or large, while humble often means having a low view of one's importance.
modest
,
simple
differences
Modest often describes something not large or expensive, while simple means not complicated or fancy.
Words with the same origin as modest
The origin of modest
modest comes from the Latin 'modestus', meaning 'keeping within measure'.
Word structure
The parts are: 'mod' (measure) and 'est' (suffix), meaning 'keeping within measure'.
Words with the same origin
The root of modest is mod (measure). Words with the same root include moderate (not extreme), modern (related to the present).
