unassuming — not pretentious or arrogant; modest and humble in appearance or behavior
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: not pretentious or arrogant; modest and humble in appearance or behavior
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌʌnəˈsuːmɪŋ/
Example Sentences
- The billionaire CEO was surprisingly unassuming, preferring to eat lunch in the company cafeteria with regular employees.
- My grandmother's unassuming cooking turned out to be so delicious that even Gordon Ramsay would cry tears of joy.
- The Nobel Prize winner gave an unassuming speech, crediting his success to luck rather than genius.
unassuming
ADJECTIVE[/ˌʌnəˈsuːmɪŋ/]
not pretentious or arrogant; modest and humble in appearance or behavior
Modest and humble despite success
While flowers keep blooming with beauty consuming, the gardener stays unassuming
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From the prefix 'un-' (not) combined with 'assuming,' which derives from the Latin 'assumere' meaning 'to take upon oneself' (from 'ad-' meaning 'to' and 'sumere' meaning 'to take'). The word emerged in English to describe someone who does not take on or adopt an air of importance or pretension.
Breakdown
un- (not) + assum- (take upon) + -ing (present participle) = unassuming (not taking on airs or pretension)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The billionaire CEO was surprisingly unassuming, preferring to eat lunch in the company cafeteria with regular employees.”
“My grandmother's unassuming cooking turned out to be so delicious that even Gordon Ramsay would cry tears of joy.”
“The Nobel Prize winner gave an unassuming speech, crediting his success to luck rather than genius.”
“His unassuming appearance fooled everyone - nobody expected the quiet librarian to be a secret superhero.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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