noble
Americanadjective
-
distinguished by rank or title.
-
pertaining to persons so distinguished.
-
of, belonging to, or constituting a hereditary class that has special social or political status in a country or state; of or pertaining to the aristocracy.
- Synonyms:
- blue-blooded, patrician, aristocratic, highborn
- Antonyms:
- bourgeois, middle-class, working-class, lower-class, common, lowborn, baseborn
-
of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence.
a noble thought.
- Synonyms:
- worthy, estimable, honorable, magnanimous, principled, high-minded, elevated, lofty, meritorious
-
admirable in dignity of conception, manner of expression, execution, or composition.
a noble poem.
- Antonyms:
- unrespected, disreputable, undignified
-
very impressive or imposing in appearance.
a noble monument.
- Synonyms:
- imperial, regal, impressive, splendid, imposing, magnificent, stately, grand, majestic, lordly
-
of an admirably high quality; notably superior; excellent
- Synonyms:
- exceptional, exemplary, outstanding, notable, noteworthy
- Antonyms:
- unexceptional, ordinary, inferior
-
famous; illustrious; renowned.
- Synonyms:
- distinguished, celebrated, famed
- Antonyms:
- obscure, unknown, remarkable
-
Chemistry. inert; chemically inactive.
-
Falconry. (of a hawk) having excellent qualities or abilities.
noun
-
a person of noble birth or rank; nobleman or noblewoman.
- Synonyms:
- patrician, blue blood, aristocrat, peer
-
a former gold coin of England, first issued in 1346 by Edward III, equal to half a mark or 6s. 8d., replaced in 1464 under Edward IV by the rose noble.
-
(in Britain) a peer.
adjective
-
of or relating to a hereditary class with special social or political status, often derived from a feudal period
-
of or characterized by high moral qualities; magnanimous
a noble deed
-
having dignity or eminence; illustrious
-
grand or imposing; magnificent
a noble avenue of trees
-
of superior quality or kind; excellent
a noble strain of horses
-
chem
-
(of certain elements) chemically unreactive
-
(of certain metals, esp copper, silver, and gold) resisting oxidation
-
-
falconry
-
designating long-winged falcons that capture their quarry by stooping on it from above Compare ignoble
-
designating the type of quarry appropriate to a particular species of falcon
-
noun
-
a person belonging to a privileged social or political class whose status is usually indicated by a title conferred by sovereign authority or descent
-
(in the British Isles) a person holding the title of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron, or a feminine equivalent
-
a former Brit gold coin having the value of one third of a pound
Synonym Usage
Noble, high-minded, magnanimous agree in referring to lofty principles and loftiness of mind or spirit. Noble implies a loftiness of character or spirit that scorns the petty, mean, base, or dishonorable: a noble deed. High-minded implies having elevated principles and consistently adhering to them: a high-minded pursuit of legal reforms. Magnanimous suggests greatness of mind or soul, especially as manifested in generosity or in overlooking injuries: magnanimous toward his former enemies.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
noblenessnoun
-
overnoblenessnoun
-
nonnobleadjective
-
overnobleadjective
-
pseudonobleadjective
-
noblyadverb
-
overnoblyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of noble
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin (g)nōbilis “notable, of high rank,” equivalent to (g)nō-, root of (g)nōscere “to get to know, find out” + -bilis adjective suffix; see origin at know 1, -ble
Explanation
A noble is a titled peer of the realm or an aristocrat. As an adjective, noble describes someone with high or elevated character, or who is impressive in appearance. From feudal times, we have known nobles as the heirs to thrones or as the holders of aristocratic title. British aristocracy, for example, produces many people of various noble titles, including dukes, earls, princes, kings, and queens. As various royal histories tell us, however, many of these nobles in title weren't quite so noble in character.
Vocabulary lists containing noble
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act I
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
An "August" Assortment: Words Worthy of Honor
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“The noble art of ballyhoo, which had flourished so successfully in the nineteen-twenties, had lost something of its vigor,” he mourns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Retiring at 60 is noble, but your Medicare does not kick in until you are 65.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
"I think at the beginning it was very noble how he wanted to help other men to feel worthy and valuable, and that's how he started," Alex says.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Inside the enclosure built to welcome his parents, the 170-day-old cub, whose name means "brave and noble warrior", was playing with a panda stuffed toy and a bamboo teether.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
It combined the Greek prefix eu—“good”—with genesis: “good in stock, hereditarily endowed with noble qualities.”
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
English lands were handed over the Norman nobles.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Hundreds of other nobles, princes and officials likely received similar reports from agents across the empire, forming one of the early modern world's most sophisticated information networks.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
The king instructed a government minister to effectively delete Andrew from a document called the Roll of the Peerage, a public record registering nobles in England, Scotland and Ireland.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
Fellowes, who created “Downton Abbey,” knows his nobles.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2025
Even though most nobles were not known for their strength, the king lifted the heavy buckets of water with ease.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
The nobler the cause, the nastier the graft.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025
The earliest on the program, “Jefferson and Liberty” from 1800, included the verse: “Here strangers from thousand shores/Compell’d by tyranny to roam;/Shall find, amidst abundant stores,/A nobler and a happier home.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2024
It’s ridiculous how entertaining “Air” is given that it’s about shoes, even if it works overtime to persuade you that it’s also about other, nobler truths, too.
From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 2023
"So often, after being elected to Congress, members have the goal drilled into their head that there is nothing nobler than being a 'team player,'" he said.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2022
My life would have been nobler if I had followed Lio.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
Gold is famously known as the noblest of all metals because it has little or no reaction when encountering other substances; a property that makes it perfect for wedding rings and coins.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2024
The Chinese philosopher Confucius reputedly said, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 8, 2023
We must face up to the ugliest aspects of our history and also to its noblest and most inspiring words and deeds.
From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2023
At the movies, the machines absorb and emulate the noblest of human attributes: intelligence, compassion, loyalty, ardor.
From New York Times ● Feb. 22, 2023
Witness this, god of the zenith, noblest of the gods, and Lord Odysseus’ hearthfire, now before me: I swear these things shall turn out as I say.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
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.
