English
humiliation
Humiliation comes from Late Latin humiliātiō ‘humiliation, humbling’, from Latin humilis ‘low, lowly, small, slight’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *homos.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*homosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhumus‘ground, floor’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhumilis‘low, lowly, small, slight’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEhumiliōas humiliāre‘to humiliate’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEhumiliātiō‘humiliation, humbling’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600humiliation
- Englishearliest quotation 1837same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*homosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhumus‘ground, floor’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhumilis‘low, lowly, small, slight’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEhumiliōas humiliāre‘to humiliate’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEhumiliātiō‘humiliation, humbling’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600humiliation
- Englishearliest quotation 1837same form
Earliest quotation: 1837, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, The Season: “Loving and beloved by him, how different would her…”
Formed from humiliate + -ion
Proto-Italic *homos
Latin humus ‘ground, floor’
Latin humilis ‘base, mean, humble, obscure, poor, needy,…’
Late Latin humiliō ‘to abase, humble’
Late Latin humiliātus ‘humbled’
English humiliate
Linked words
through Latin humus ‘ground, floor’
through Latin humilis ‘low, lowly, small, slight’
Today it means
noun The act of humiliating or humbling someone; abasement of pride; mortification.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *homos / humiliation