noblesse

/ nəʊˈblɛs /

noun

1. noble birth or condition
2. the noble class

Word History and Origins

Origin of noblesse¹

C13: from Old French; see noble

Example Sentences

In an update of Nancy Mitford's 'Noblesse Oblige', The Telegraph has this handy guide, entitled,  “What type of RP do you speak?”

From The Daily Beast

What if charity—giving out of love or noblesse oblige or religious commitment—doesn't go far enough?

From The Daily Beast

Mitt Romney started off this campaign cycle as a noblesse oblige candidate.

From The Daily Beast

The Romney-Ryan ticket now seems to be all noblesse, no oblige.

From The Daily Beast

Contrary to our general notions of the foreign noblesse those exhibited some of the finest-looking men whom I had ever seen.

From Project Gutenberg

And Turgot's family was only of the secondary noblesse of the robe.

From Project Gutenberg

Like most of the old noblesse who emigrated he is without a sou.

From Project Gutenberg

With fevered face and icy hands he opened the latter and sought out the packet of his proofs of noblesse.

From Project Gutenberg

His father's people were of the noblesse of the robe, country gentles; his mother a cousin of the two dukes Rochefoucauld.

From Project Gutenberg