Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Noble

No′ble

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Nobler
;
sup
erl.
Noblest
.]
[F.
noble
, fr. L.
nobilis
that can be or is known, well known, famous, highborn, noble, fr.
noscere
to know. See
know
.]
1.
Possessing eminence, elevation, dignity, etc.; above whatever is low, mean, degrading, or dishonorable; magnanimous;
as, a
noble
nature or action; a
noble
heart.
Statues, with winding ivy crowned, belong
To
nobler
poets for a
nobler
song.
Dryden.
2.
Grand; stately; magnificent; splendid;
as, a
noble
edifice
.
3.
Of exalted rank; of or pertaining to the nobility; distinguished from the masses by birth, station, or title; highborn;
as,
noble
blood; a
noble
personage.
☞
Noble
is used in the formation of self-explaining compounds;
as,
noble
-born,
noble
-hearted,
noble
-minded
.
Noble gas
(Chem.)
,
a gaseous element belonging to group VIII of the periodic table of elements, not combining with other elements under normal reaction conditions; specifically,
helium
,
neon
,
argon
,
krypton
,
xenon
, or
radon
; also called
inert gas
.
–
Noble metals
(Chem.)
,
silver, gold, and platinum; – so called from their resistance to oxidation by air and to dissolution by acids. Copper, mercury, aluminium, palladium, rhodium, iridium, and osmium are sometimes included.
Syn. – Honorable; worthy; dignified; elevated; exalted; superior; sublime; great; eminent; illustrious; renowned; stately; splendid; magnificent; grand; magnanimous; generous; liberal; free.

No′ble

,
Noun.
1.
A person of rank above a commoner; a nobleman; a peer.
2.
An English money of account, and, formerly, a gold coin, of the value of 6 s. 8 d. sterling, or about $1.61 (in 1913).
3.
(Zool.)
A European fish; the lyrie.

No′ble

,
Verb.
T.
To make noble; to ennoble.
[Obs.]
Thou
nobledest
so far forth our nature.
Chaucer.

Webster 1828 Edition

Noble

NO'BLE

,
Adj.
1.
Great; elevated; dignified; being above every thing that can dishonor reputation; as a nobel mind; a noble courage; noble deeds of valor.
2.
Exalted; elevated; sublime.
Statues, with winding ivy crown'd, belong to nobler poets for a nobler song.
3.
Magnificent; stately; splendid; as a noble parade; a noble edifice.
4.
Of an ancient and splendid family; as nobel by descent.
5.
Distinguished from commoners by rank and title; as a noble personage.
6.
Free; generous; liberal; as a noble heart.
7.
Principal; capital; as the noble parts of the body.
8.
Ingenuous; candid; of an excellent disposition; ready to receive truth. Acts 17.
9.
Of the best kind; choice; excellent; as a noble vine. Jeremiah 2.

NO'BLE

,
Noun.
1.
A person of rank above a commoner; a nobleman; a peer; as a duke, marquis, earl, viscount or baron.
2.
In Scripture, a person of honorable family or distinguished by station. Exodus 24. Nehemiah 6.
3.
Originally, a gold coin, but now a money of account, value 6s. 8d. sterling, or $1 48cts.

Definition 2024

Noble

Noble

See also: noble and NOBLE

English

Proper noun

Noble

  1. A surname​.
  2. A male given name

noble

noble

See also: Noble and NOBLE

English

Noun

noble ‎(plural nobles)

  1. An aristocrat; one of aristocratic blood. [from 14th c.]
    This country house was occupied by nobles in the 16th century.
  2. (now historical) A medieval gold coin of England in the 14th and 15th centuries, usually valued at 6s 8d. [from 14th c.]
    • 1499, John Skelton, The Bowge of Courte:
      I lyked no thynge his playe, / For yf I had not quyckely fledde the touche, / He had plucte oute the nobles of my pouche.
    • 1644, John Milton, Aeropagitica:
      And who shall then stick closest to ye, and excite others? not he who takes up armes for cote and conduct, and his four nobles of Danegelt.
    • 2011, Thomas Penn, Winter King, Penguin 2012, page 93:
      There, before the high altar, as the choir's voices soared upwards to the blue, star-flecked ceiling, Henry knelt and made his offering of a ‘noble in gold’, 6s 8d.

Antonyms

Hyponyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:nobleman

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

noble ‎(comparative more noble, superlative most noble)

  1. Having honorable qualities; having moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean or dubious in conduct and character.
    He made a noble effort.‎
    He is a noble man who would never put his family in jeopardy.‎
  2. Grand; stately; magnificent; splendid.
    • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 5, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
      He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength—all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts.
    a noble edifice‎
  3. Of exalted rank; of or relating to the nobility; distinguished from the masses by birth, station, or title; highborn.
    noble blood; a noble personage‎
  4. (geometry, of a polyhedron) Both isohedral and isogonal.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: places · simple · fresh · #711: noble · appearance · period · William

Anagrams

Catalan

Adjective

noble m, f ‎(masculine and feminine plural nobles)

  1. noble

Noun

noble m, f ‎(plural nobles)

  1. noble

French

Etymology

From Old French, borrowed from Latin nobilis according to the TLFi dictionary.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nɔbl/

Adjective

noble m, f ‎(plural nobles)

  1. noble, aristocratic
  2. (of material) non-synthetic, natural; fine
  3. noble, worthy (thoughts, cause etc.)

Noun

noble m, f ‎(plural nobles)

  1. noble (person who is noble)

Derived terms

References

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈnoːblə/

Adjective

noble

  1. strong feminine singular nominative form of nobel.
  2. strong feminine singular accusative form of nobel.
  3. strong plural nominative form of nobel.
  4. strong plural accusative form of nobel.
  5. weak masculine singular nominative form of nobel.
  6. weak feminine singular nominative form of nobel.
  7. weak feminine singular accusative form of nobel.
  8. weak neuter singular nominative form of nobel.
  9. weak neuter singular accusative form of nobel.
  10. mixed feminine singular nominative form of nobel.
  11. mixed feminine singular accusative form of nobel.

Middle English

Etymology

Old French

Adjective

noble

  1. noble

Middle French

Etymology

Old French

Adjective

noble m, f ‎(plural nobles)

  1. noble

Old French

Etymology

Latin nobilis

Adjective

noble m ‎(oblique and nominative feminine singular noble)

  1. noble; upper-class; well-bred

Synonyms

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin nobilis.

Adjective

noble m, f ‎(plural nobles)

  1. noble

Related terms

Swedish

Adjective

noble

  1. absolute definite natural masculine form of nobel.

Etymology

From Middle English noble, from Old French noble, from Latin nobilis ‎(“knowable, known, well-known, famous, celebrated, high-born, of noble birth, excellent”), from noscere, gnoscere ‎(“to know”). Displaced native Middle English athel ‎(“noble”) (from Old English æþele) and Middle English hathel, hathelle ‎(“noble, nobleman”) (from the merger of Old English æþele ‎(“nobleman”) and Old English hæleþ ‎(“hero”)).

Pronunciation

Similar Results