noble

[ noh-buh l ]

/ ˈnoʊ bəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR noble ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, no·bler, no·blest.

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.

of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence: a noble thought.

admirable in dignity of conception, manner of expression, execution, or composition: a noble poem.

very impressive or imposing in appearance: a noble monument.

of an admirably high quality; notably superior; excellent.

famous; illustrious; renowned.

Chemistry. inert; chemically inactive.

Falconry. (of a hawk) having excellent qualities or abilities.

noun

a person of noble birth or rank; nobleman or noblewoman.

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.

Nearby words

nobelium, nobile, nobiliary, nobiliary particle, nobility, noble, noble art, noble fir, noble gas, noble metal, noble opal

Origin of noble

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Latin (g)nōbilis ‘notable, of high rank’, equivalent to (g)nō-, base of (g)nōscere ‘to get to know, find out’ (see know¹) + -bilis -ble

Related forms

no·ble·ness, nounnon·no·ble, adjectiveo·ver·no·ble, adjectiveo·ver·no·ble·ness, noun

o·ver·no·b·ly, adverbpseu·do·no·ble, adjective

Can be confused

Nobel noble

Synonym study

4. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for noble

The skateboarder is as irredeemably evil as the others are noble.
The 2014 Novel of the Year|Nathaniel Rich|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the noble experiment of American democracy is to mean anything, it is fidelity to the principle of freedom.
The Sony Hack and America’s Craven Capitulation To Terror|David Keyes|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the string of episodes that aired before that were gripping, noble, and simply entertaining to watch.
'The Newsroom' Ended As It Began: Weird, Controversial, and Noble|Kevin Fallon|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It creates a cynicism in us that is not the most noble of things to dwell upon.
Ron Perlman's Secret Suicide Attempt|William O’Connor|October 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The Nobel committee said he was continuing in the noble tradition of Mahatma Gandhi.
Malala Yousafzai Is the Youngest Nobel Peace Prize Winner in History|Nico Hines|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What sadness and difficulty may not his noble and generous spirit have had to encounter!
Alida|Amelia Stratton Comfield
I like its noble aims, its scorn and hate of priestcraft and Slavery.
Julia Ward Howe|Laura E. Richards
He gave his rude children a noble moral code, the original form of the Decalogue.
The Right and Wrong Uses of the Bible|R. Heber Newton
The noble Marquis consequently hoped that the Trojan horse would not be allowed to come within the walls of Parliament.
The Grand Old Man|Richard B. Cook
Cassiodorus, with a noble enthusiasm, inspired his monks to their task.
A Short History of Monks and Monasteries|Alfred Wesley Wishart

British Dictionary definitions for noble

noble

/ (ˈnəʊbəl) /

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; magnanimousa noble deed

having dignity or eminence; illustrious

grand or imposing; magnificenta noble avenue of trees

of superior quality or kind; excellenta 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 aboveCompare 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

Derived Forms

nobleness, nounnobly, adverb

Word Origin for noble

C13: via Old French from Latin nōbilis, originally, capable of being known, hence well-known, noble, from noscere to know

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012