noble

1 of 2

adjective

no·​ble ˈnō-bəl How to pronounce noble (audio)
1
a
: possessing outstanding qualities : illustrious
was a noble king
b
: famous, notable
noble deeds
2
: of high birth or exalted rank : aristocratic
… my sire is of a noble line …Samuel Taylor Coleridge
noble families
3
a
: possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties
noble wine
b
: very good or excellent
See that there be a noble supper provided …R. B. Sheridan
4
: grand or impressive especially in appearance
noble edifice
a noble cathedral
5
: possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals : lofty
a noble ambition
a noble cause
6
: chemically inert or inactive especially toward oxygen
a noble metal such as platinum
compare base entry 3 sense 2a
nobleness noun
nobly
ˈnō-blē How to pronounce noble (audio)
 also  -bə-lē
adverb

noble

2 of 2

noun

1
: a person of noble rank or birth
2
: an old English gold coin equivalent to 6 shillings and 8 pence
Choose the Right Synonym for noble

moral, ethical, virtuous, righteous, noble mean conforming to a standard of what is right and good.

moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

the basic moral values of a community

ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

committed to the highest ethical principles

virtuous implies moral excellence in character.

not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

wished to be righteous before God and the world

noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

Examples of noble in a Sentence

Adjective He was a man of noble character. It was noble of her to come forward with this information. Noun an elite school for children of nobles
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The story begins when Harith, a noble chief, decided to marry a girl of nobility and dignity. Nwa Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 11 Mar. 2024 Vipassana retreats involve spending a period of time in ‘noble silence’, with most of the day taken up in meditation or reflection. Tasha Kleeman, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2024 These were noble acts, and Gooch is right to celebrate them. Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 All of the noble Great Houses in the Dune universe have their own Mentat, like Maesters in Game of Thrones. Christian Holub, EW.com, 2 Mar. 2024 Probably, but perhaps not always for the noblest reasons. Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 But Victoria–brave, noble and well-accustomed to life in the chiffon trenches–is refusing to purchase sensible shoes. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024 The room, referred to as the cloister, is known to house the tombs of several noble families from the 1300s. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024 House Atreides, the noble family that oversaw the rule of the spice-rich planet Arrakis, is no more. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024
Noun
Every winter, like Punxsutawney nobles, biotech’s many thought leaders gather in San Francisco to pick apart the year that was and prognosticate about the one to come. Damian Garde, STAT, 20 Dec. 2023 Even if the monarchs in question understood the cultural disjunction, these movement of women from the Fertile Crescent to Egypt was in part motivated by signalling status to their own circle of nobles, who may not have been as conscious of these cross-cultural distinctions. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 6 July 2010 His chiaroscuro technique, which uses light and darkness for depth and has been compared to Rembrandt’s and Caravaggio’s, quickly won the admiration of King George III and other British nobles. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 30 Jan. 2024 As such footwear became longer, Parliament passed a law in the mid-14th century forbidding all but the highest nobles to wear shoes or boots with a point longer than two inches. Ana María Velasco, National Geographic, 17 Jan. 2024 However, to return to the role of the emperor, Smith was pessimistic that slavery could be abolished, even in a monarchy, as such an act would upset the nobles. Iain Murray, National Review, 16 Dec. 2023 The glyph representing the Mayan calendar’s fourteenth month features the fruit, and Aztec nobles often received it as tribute. Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023 Wearing a white uniform had been a tradition since 16th-century France, where the nobles wore it playing indoor jeu de paume. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2023 Monaco's royal family is no stranger to scandal, but the last few weeks have proven particularly tense for fans of the Monegasque nobles. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 5 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'noble.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin nobilis well-known, noble, from noscere to come to know — more at know

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of noble was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near noble

Cite this Entry

“Noble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noble. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

noble

1 of 2 adjective
no·​ble ˈnō-bəl How to pronounce noble (audio)
nobler -b(ə-)lər How to pronounce noble (audio) ; noblest -b(ə-)ləst How to pronounce noble (audio)
1
: famous, notable
noble deed
2
: of high birth or rank : aristocratic
3
: possessing very high qualities : excellent
4
: grand especially in appearance : imposing
a noble cathedral
5
: having or characterized by superiority of mind or character : magnanimous
a noble nature
6
: chemically inactive especially toward oxygen
noble metal
nobleness noun
nobly adverb

noble

2 of 2 noun
: a person of noble rank or birth

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