lowly

1 of 2

adjective

low·​ly ˈlō-lē How to pronounce lowly (audio)
lowlier; lowliest
1
: not lofty or grand : commonplace, ordinary
Paella, once the lowly meal of farmers … has indeed evolved into a very sumptuous one-dish meal …Georgina R. Encanto
It's easy to overlook the lowly alphabet book.Ivan Kreilkamp
2
: low in order of importance, value, or esteem
a lowly task
… the game didn't match even the lowly expectations placed on it.Matthew DeFranks
I'm not talking about the mouthwatering and universally appreciated king or Spanish mackerel but their lowly cousin, the commonly derided Atlantic mackerel …W. Hodding Carter
3
: having or being a low rank in some hierarchy
a lowly private in the army
their lowly ranking in the tournament
often, specifically : of or relating to a low social or economic rank
lowly peasants
"Now there's a highborn name for a lowly lad," the woman said. Avi
4
: low in a scale of evolution or development
Consider the lowly roundworm. By manipulating the genes of a species of nematode, Thomas Johnson of the University of Colorado has already doubled its puny 30-day life span.Richard I. Kirkland Jr.
5
: humble in manner or spirit : free from self-assertive pride
Is it compatible with a self-denying, meek, and lowly heart?The New Englander (New Haven, Connecticut)
lowliness noun
Although the institution had many notable patrons such as Dickens the foundlings were constantly reminded of their lowliness. Ciara Dossett

lowly

2 of 2

adverb

1
: not loudly
Dr. Park began to speak lowly, and in Korean, at Sally and Eunice.Gary Shteyngart
2
: in a humble or meek manner
bowed lowly
3
: in a low position, manner, or degree
lowly rated products
… the great elephant makes us a bow in the best style of elephantine courtesy, bending lowly down his mountain bulk …Nathaniel Hawthorne

Examples of lowly in a Sentence

Adjective He was working as a lowly clerk. He resented his lowly status. Adverb lowly bowing before his king, he accepted his knighthood
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Even Microsoft’s Paint app, once the lowliest of visual editing tools, now comes with generative AI abilities that compete with Adobe’s Firefly. Jackie Snow, Quartz, 21 Oct. 2024 That included a blowout 38-20 win over the lowly Carolina Panthers last week. Vincent Frank, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Adverb
In Ratatouille, furry foodie Remy helps lowly garbage boy Alfredo Linguini (Lou Romano) ascend the kitchen ranks of Paris' esteemed restaurant Gusteau's. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 Oct. 2024 Manchester United finished a lowly eighth in the Premier League table, but victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final hinted at the team’s potential. Graham Ruthven, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lowly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lowly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of lowly was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lowly

Cite this Entry

“Lowly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lowly. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

lowly

1 of 2 adverb
low·​ly ˈlō-lē How to pronounce lowly (audio)
1
: in a humble or meek manner
2
: in a low position, manner, or degree
3
: not loudly

lowly

2 of 2 adjective
lowlier; lowliest
1
2
: of low rank or position
lowliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lowly

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