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.

RELATED WORDS

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 confusedNobel 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 noblest

Our noblest people paid with their souls so that we can build a country where we can live in freedom, justice, and dignity.
Egyptians to John Kerry: Stop Backing Dictators|Gameela Ismail|March 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
If a fortune is truly yours to make, it can only be had on your noblest terms.
Horoscopes for June 12-18, 2011|Starsky + Cox|June 12, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Washington, unbending in his role as the noblest republican of them all, administered a severe blow to imperial pride.
Washington in Victory|Piers Brendon|October 10, 2008|DAILY BEAST
The greatest and noblest figure in legislative life of the nineteenth century had passed away from earth.
Famous Men and Great Events of the Nineteenth Century|Charles Morris

The noblest leaven in them is love of France and of liberty.
French Classics|William Cleaver Wilkinson
"Damn the stocks," began Mr. Stirn, plunging right in medias res, and by a fine use of one of the noblest figures of rhetoric.
The International Magazine, Volume 2, No. 2, January, 1851|Various
For every day they are not meet, Or for a careless tone; They are for rarest, and most sweet, And noblest use alone.
Legends and Lyrics: First Series|Adelaide Anne Procter
A good healthy conscience is the noblest point in the character of that noblest work of creation—an honest man.
Punch - Volume 25 (Jul-Dec 1853)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for noblest

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 Formsnobleness, 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