self-abasement
|self-a-base-ment|
🇺🇸
/ˌsɛlf əˈbeɪsmənt/
🇬🇧
/ˌself əˈbeɪsmənt/
lowering oneself
Etymology
'self-abasement' is formed from 'self' and 'abasement', where 'abasement' comes from Old French 'abaisser', meaning 'to lower'.
'Abasement' came from Old French 'abaissement', which was derived from 'abaisser' (to lower), and 'self-' was added in English to specify the act upon oneself, resulting in 'self-abasement'.
Initially, it meant 'the act of lowering oneself', and over time it evolved to mean 'belittling or humiliating oneself'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act of belittling or humiliating oneself, often due to feelings of inferiority or guilt.
His constant self-abasement made it hard for him to accept compliments.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/27 20:07