Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
HUMBLE
I. adjective (humbler; humblest)
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin humilis low, humble, from humus earth; akin to Greek chthōn earth, chamai on the ground
Date: 13th century
not proud or haughty ; not arrogant or assertive, reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission ,
3. ranking low in a hierarchy or scale ; insignificant , unpretentious , not costly or luxurious , humbleness noun humbly adverb
II. transitive verb (humbled; humbling)
Date: 14th century
to make humble in spirit or manner, to destroy the power, independence, or prestige of, humbler noun humblingly adverb