English

Noun

false modesty ‎(uncountable)

1. Behavior that is intended to seem humble but comes across as fake and unflattering.

   Although having a large ego is considered undesirable, at times it is proper to take credit where it is due rather than display false modesty.‎

   • 1907, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, “chapter VIII”, in The Younger Set (Project Gutenberg; EBook #14852), New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, published 1 February 2005 (Project Gutenberg version), OCLC 4241346:

     At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.