humble family; impoverished household
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
impoverished household; humble family
literaryA classical, literary term. Historically used by officials or scholars to modestly refer to their own family background. Rare in modern spoken language.
Although he came from a humble family, his aspirations were lofty.
He often modestly described himself as a child from a poor family.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Students from impoverished families can only change their destiny through diligent study.
noun
family of low social status; humble origins
literaryDescribes a family without power, wealth, or prestige in traditional society. The focus is on low social status, not necessarily extreme poverty.
He came from a family of low status but rose to the highest official rank.
In that era, it was difficult for children from humble families to obtain high-ranking official positions.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Many dynasties have tales of promoting talented individuals from humble families regardless of convention.