English Meaning & Definitions
A lifestyle characterized by simplicity, lack of excess, and the avoidance of luxury or ostentation, often associated with financial prudence or personal choice.
- “Despite his immense wealth, he preferred a modest living in a small cottage by the sea.”
- “They chose a life of modest living to focus more on their creative pursuits rather than material accumulation.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “modest living”.
The term combines 'modest,' derived from the Latin 'modestus' (keeping within measure, moderate), and 'living,' from the Old English 'lifian' (to remain alive). Historically, it reflects the philosophical ideal of 'aurea mediocritas' or the 'golden mean,' emphasizing a life free from excess, vanity, or ostentation.
Think of a 'Mode' (a setting) that is 'st' (standard/steady) for 'living'—not too high, not too low.
Frequently Asked Questions About “modest living”
1. What is the meaning of “modest living” in English?
In English, modest living (noun) is defined as: “A lifestyle characterized by simplicity, lack of excess, and the avoidance of luxury or ostentation, often associated with financial prudence or personal choice.”.
2. How do you use “modest living” in a sentence?
“Despite his immense wealth, he preferred a modest living in a small cottage by the sea.”
3. What are English synonyms of “modest living”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “modest living”?
The term combines 'modest,' derived from the Latin 'modestus' (keeping within measure, moderate), and 'living,' from the Old English 'lifian' (to remain alive). Historically, it reflects the philosophical ideal of 'aurea mediocritas' or the 'golden mean,' emphasizing a life free from excess, vanity, or ostentation.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.