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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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

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

How to use noble in a sentence

But nobler souls came to the rescue, and in each instance opening day saw a big win for goodness over greed.
There is No Stealing in Baseball!|Michael Daly|April 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
To travelers blessed with golden sunshine, the Rhine may wear a grander, nobler aspect, and to such I leave it.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
It is good, I believe, to be respectable, but much nobler to respect oneself and utter the voice of God.
The Pocket R.L.S.|Robert Louis Stevenson
This presents a nobler view of the whole sacrificial system than the common one.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I|John Lord

Never did I meet with a nobler spirit; he had few equals, none, whom I knew, superior to him.
My Ten Years' Imprisonment|Silvio Pellico
It is true they had suffered deep wrongs; but mercy to the vanquished is a nobler quality than unlimited revenge.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan

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 related to noble

How to use noble in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for noble

Derived forms of noble

Word Origin for noble