humble pie

English

Alternative forms

• humble-pie

Etymology

The expression derives from umble pie, the original name of the offal meat pie, considered inferior food. In medieval times the pie was often served to lower-class people. Although "umbles" and the modern word "humble" are etymologically unrelated, each word has appeared both with and without the initial "h" after the Middle Ages until the 19th century.

Pronunciation

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Noun

humble pie (countable and uncountable, plural humble pies)

1. (dated) A pie made from the offal of deer or hog.
2. (idiomatic) Humility, being humble.
   • 1857, Herman Melville, The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade:

     Talking of piemen, humble-pie before proud-cake for me. This notion of being lone and lofty is a sad mistake.

Derived terms

• eat humble pie

See also

• eat crow, eat boiled crow
• numbles
• pity pie