When seeking to understand a word such as modesty, the best place to begin is with a dictionary. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, modesty has two parts to its definition, including “freedom from conceit or vanity” and “propriety in dress, speech, or conduct.” The etymology of the word links the word to the Latin modestus, which means “keeping within measure” or using moderation (Blakemore and Jennett). From the dictionary definition, it is easy to understand the basic way in which the word is used. The example, “She accepted the award with modesty” describes a person who displays both freedom from vanity and propriety in conduct as she accepts an award (“Modesty”). In other words, this is a person who is not gloating, arrogant, pretentious, or pompous. This person is instead humble and demure in attitude instead of lording the fact that she won an award over other people.
While modesty is often used to describe attitude an actions, it also frequently refers to the way a person dresses, such as in the example “the modesty of her clothing” (“Modesty”). Perhaps it is because people often view attire as a reflection of the self and personal attitudes that the word modesty is also applied to clothing style. One of the most prominent recent examples is CBS issuing a “wardrobe advisory” specifically targeted at females attending the 2013 Grammy awards, which listed specific areas of the body that needed to be covered because CBS considered them to be “problematic” if exposed (Parker). Societal standards for modesty are often relaxed for entertainers; therefore, a typical sentence could be, “Jennifer Lopez wore a clingy gown that was nevertheless a more modest choice than usual for the singer.”
Beyond the dictionary definitions of the word modesty are its connotations, or the other meanings of the word that are different from what it explicitly describes or names. Connotations are often referred to as being positive or negative. Therefore, to really understand the connotation or deeper meanings behind the word modesty, its different uses must be explored.
The result is that modesty has both positive and negative connotations. In the example given earlier, “She accepted the award with modesty,” the connotation is positive (“Modesty”). It is seen as a generally good thing to display a quiet, humble attitude when accepting an honor. Although the original term had a meaning of living moderately, “Gradually, modesty took on the gendered connotation of a sexual virtue particularly important for women” (Blakemore and Jennett). Sometimes, the word has a negative connotation if people go too far in their efforts to appear modest. For example, schoolmate Patty is “painfully modest” because she waits until all the other girls are gone before she changes into her gym clothes for class. In this case, her behavior is not so much virtuous as it is a social handicap.
An situation in which the word modesty can have both positive and negative connotations is in the description of people’s possessions. For instance, wealthy businessman John Smyth’s home is described as, “surprisingly modest.” Some people may view this as positive because it shows that Smyth lives within his means, chooses not to flaunt his wealth, and reserves his money for laudable things such as charity works. Others may interpret it negatively, believing that Smyth lacks good taste, an appreciation of the finer things in life, or is miserly. Modesty is a word that has a lot of utility. Although its use has evolved, it remains true to its basic etymological origins as a standard of measure in how we view others and ourselves.
Works Cited
Modesty. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Accessed 12 Feb 2012. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/modesty
Blakemore, Colin and Jennett, Sheila. Modesty: The Oxford Companion to the Body. Encyclopedia.com, 2001. Web.
Parker, Suzi. With CBS breast ban, the Grammy Awards take a leap back in time. The Washington Post, 20 Feb 2013. Web. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/02/10/with-cbs-breast-ban-the-grammy-awards-take-a-leap-back-in-time/
