noblesse
Britishnoun
-
noble birth or condition
-
the noble class
Etymology
Origin of noblesse
C13: from Old French; see noble
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to Mr. Talty, they were motivated by patriotism, noblesse oblige and philhellenism.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026
When Pritzker finds himself explaining why he does what he does, he often falls back on the vague language of noblesse oblige—that “we” have a responsibility to “lift up” or “stand up” for “the vulnerable.”
From Slate • Sep. 18, 2025
Given the vast wealth gap between likely patrons and these portrait-subjects, the question creates an inescapable aura of noblesse oblige.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2023
Though Alger indeed extols the virtues of hard work, prayer, honesty and saving, his books also hinge upon chance encounters and the noblesse oblige of someone much higher on the class ladder.
From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2022
In history class, when young Elena had learned the term noblesse oblige, she’d understood it at once.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
