adj
lowly
LOH-lee
adj
1
Low in rank, importance, or status; humble.
"He started his career in a lowly clerical job before rising to CEO."
"The prince disguised himself as a lowly servant."
adv
1
In a humble or modest manner.
"She spoke lowly of her own achievements, though she had done remarkable work."
How to Use Lowly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes something or someone of humble, modest, or low rank/status.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "lonely" — they look similar but mean completely different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a lowly position
lowly origins
lowly worker
Word Forms
lowlier comparative, more lowly comparative, lowliest superlative, most lowly superlative
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He started his career in a _____ clerical job before rising to CEO.
Etymology
From "low" plus the adjective/adverb suffix "-ly."