noble

[ noh-buhl ]

/ ˈnoʊ bəl /

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See synonyms for: noble / nobler / noblest / nobleness 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR noble

3 highborn, aristocratic; patrician, blue-blooded.

4 lofty, elevated, high-minded, principled; magnanimous; honorable, estimable, worthy, meritorious.

5 grand, dignified, august.

6 majestic, grand, stately; magnificent, imposing, splendid, impressive; regal, imperial, lordly.

7 noteworthy, notable, outstanding, exemplary, exceptional.

8 famed, celebrated, acclaimed, distinguished.

11 peer; aristocrat, blue blood, patrician.

See synonyms for noble on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR noble

3 baseborn, lowborn; common, plebian; lower-class, working-class, middle-class, bourgeois.

4 ignoble, base; vulgar, common.

5 undignified, disreputable, unrespected.

6 insignificant, mean, paltry; modest, plain, ordinary.

7 inferior, ordinary, unexceptional.

8 unknown, obscure, remarkable.

11 commoner, serf, peasant.

See antonyms for noble on Thesaurus.com

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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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 know¹,-ble

synonym study for noble

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM noble

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

Words nearby noble

Nobile, nobiliary, nobiliary particle, nobility, no bill, noble, noble art, noble fir, noble gas, nobleman, noble metal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use noble in a sentence

The filmmakers plant the stationary camera in front of their subjects, which gives them a status akin to noble portraiture.
‘The Truffle Hunters’ Will Pique Your Appetite and Push You to Dig a Little Deeper|Elissa Suh|March 5, 2021|Eater
Even the noblest of ambitions in terms of capturing all forms of human beauty may not have a chance because the brightness values aren’t even represented accurately.
I asked an AI to tell me how beautiful I am|Tate Ryan-Mosley|March 5, 2021|MIT Technology Review
Despite his noble ties, Bartini was raised by a peasant family before Lodovico eventually acknowledged him.
Why the Soviet Red Baron Matters Today|Nick Fouriezos|March 3, 2021|Ozy
Today, there can hardly be a more noble mission than helping America – and the world – usher in a new era of healthy aging by re-engaging and re-committing to the defeat of Alzheimer’s.
We Need an Operation Warp Speed for Alzheimer's and Dementia|George Vradenburg|February 24, 2021|Time

The military was the noblest and best part of the nation, but that’s completely gone.
Humans Have Gotten Nicer and Better at Making War - Issue 94: Evolving|Steve Paulson|January 6, 2021|Nautilus
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
She was one of the wealthiest women in the world and certainly the most eccentric noble of her time.
Adiós to the Diva Duchess|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And after the Driscoll story broke, another megapastor, Perry Noble, admitted to using ResultSource on one of his book projects.
How the Religious Right Scams Its Way Onto the New York Times Bestseller List|Warren Throckmorton|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I find myself chained to the foot of a woman, my noble Cornelia would despise!
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
What course was taken to supply that assembly when any noble family became extinct?
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
He remembered how his father had execrated this noble enemy, even at the time he declared his worth.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
And when wine had unselfed my noble father, you received his passionate insults with forbearance and forgiveness!
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The consequence of this quarrel was that, early in 1794, he found himself accused as a ci-devant noble.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison

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 of noble

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

noble

OTHER WORDS FOR noble

OPPOSITES FOR noble

Origin of noble

synonym study for noble

OTHER WORDS FROM noble

Words nearby noble

Words related to noble

How to use noble in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for noble

Derived forms of noble

Word Origin for noble