nubile

American  

[noo-bil, -bahyl, nyoo-] / ˈnu bɪl, -baɪl, ˈnyu- /

adjective

1. (of a young woman) suitable for marriage, especially in regard to age or physical development; marriageable.

2. (of a young person, usually a woman) sexually developed and attractive.

   the nubile girls in their bikinis.

---

nubile British  

/ ˈnjuːbaɪl, njuːˈbɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. ready or suitable for marriage by virtue of age or maturity

2. sexually attractive

---

Other Word Forms

• nubility
  noun

Etymology

Origin of nubile

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin nūbilis, equivalent to nūb(ere) “to marry” + -ilis adjective suffix; see nuptial, -ile

Explanation

Nubile is a word for young women who are attractive and "suitable for marriage" (which honestly sounds sort of chauvinistic). Feminist idealism aside, nubile is a flattering term for a gal. It means youthful and sexy. Nubile stems from an ancient Latin term which meant "marriageable." While nice young men are certainly marriageable, the term is solely used in relation to women, and now refers to their ripe sexy beauty, not necessarily qualities that could make them a dependable, loving wife. Nubile is used more now in describing a gal who is hot and sexy — more ideal for the hip-hop video shoot, not co-hosting your family for Thanksgiving.

Example Sentences

This is the clunker: Confetti falls from the ceiling, and Odenkirk and his co-host David Cross are surrounded not by nubile women but by unkempt, grinning nerds with annoying questions.

From Slate • Nov. 14, 2015

She points out a weird new kind of equality in that, instead of lessening the pressure on women to be young and nubile, Hollywood is simply heaping more on young male actors.

From The Guardian • Sep. 26, 2015

Sun-loving saplings, blackberries and greenbriers wrapped their nubile tendrils around the opportunity, tangling with one another in thick knots as they scaled toward the light.

From Scientific American • Mar. 1, 2014

Greece's Queen Frederika organized a Mediterranean cruise for nubile royalty; it sparked the match between Spain's Prince Juan Carlos and her daughter, Princess Sophie.

From Time Magazine Archive

Adj. adolescent, pubescent, of age; of full age, of ripe age; out of one's teens, grown up, mature, full grown, in one's prime, middle-aged, manly, virile, adult; womanly, matronly; marriageable, nubile.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark