noble Hear it!

noble Definition

no·ble (nō′bəl)

adjective -·bler, -·blest

  1. having eminence, renown, fame, etc.; illustrious
  2. having or showing high moral qualities or ideals, or greatness of character; lofty
  3. having excellent qualities; superior
  4. grand; stately; splendid; magnificent a noble view
  5. of high hereditary rank or title; aristocratic
  6. chemically nonreactive, esp. with acids and air; precious; pure: said of metals, esp. gold, platinum, etc.; also said of any of the six inert, or nearly inert, rare gases in group VIIIA of the periodic table

Etymology: OFr < L nobilis, lit., well-known < base of (g)noscere, to know

noun

  1. a person having hereditary rank or title; nobleman; peer
  2. a former gold coin of England

noble Related Forms

no′·ble·ness noun

noble Synonyms

noble

modif.

  1. Possessing an exalted mind and character

    generous, princely, magnanimous, magnificent, courtly, lofty, elevated, splendid, excellent, august, reputable, supreme, eminent, preeminent, lordly, dignified, sublime, great, good, superior, chivalric, chivalrous, great-hearted, high-minded, honorable, distinguished, liberal, tolerant, gracious, benign, beneficient, humane, benevolent, charitable, sympathetic, bounteous, brilliant, extraordinary, remarkable, self-denying, devoted, self-forgetful, heroic, resolute, lionhearted, mettlesome, valorous; see also worthy.

    Antonyms corrupt*, low*, ignoble. *

  2. Possessing excellent qualities or properties

    meritorious, virtuous, worthy, valuable, useful, incorrupt, first-rate, refined, cultivated, chivalrous, trustworthy, candid, liberal, gracious, princely, munificent, magnanimous, generous, distinctive, sincere, truthful, constant, faithful, upright, honest, honorable, warmhearted, true, veracious, distinctive, reputable, respectable, admirable, good, above-board, fair, manly, just, estimable; see also excellent, perfect 2.

    Antonyms poor*, inferior*, second-rate. *

  3. Belonging to the nobility

    royal, titled, aristocratic, patrician, highborn, wellborn, blue-blooded, of high rank, of good family, highborn, gentle, of gentle birth, of gentle blood, imperial, lordly, highbred, princely, of good breed, kingly, to the manner born, born to the purple*; see also royal 2.

    Antonyms common*, plebeian*, lowborn. *

  4. Grand

    stately, impressive, imposing; see grand 2.

noble Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

make: I would have you curse yourself now, that your bounty ( Which makes men truly noble ) e'er should make me A villain.

Adjective modifier

  • Protestant: James VI is kidnaped by Protestant nobles wishing to separate him from the influence of his Catholic favorites.
  • Scottish: He, along with most Scottish nobles, changed sides on more than one occasion depending upon how the wind blew.
  • Russian: In exile following the Revolution of 1917 Russian nobles continued to give witness to the tradition.
  • great: The source states simply that one of the great nobles had knighted him.
  • other: Like a Scottish Robin Hood, Rob Roy hid in the hills and led raids against Montrose and other nobles.
  • local: Soldiers were made available to assist the Intendants if they needed them and local nobles were put under intense pressure to assist them.

Modifies a noun

  • baroness: The selection favored by the noble Baroness 's party would stop them getting into the school in the first place.
  • savage: There's an air of " noble savage " about this headline.
  • lord: I'm sure it was only modesty which prevented the noble lord himself from mentioning it.
  • Odysseus: If only bright-eyed Athene would choose to love you, as she once cherished noble Odysseus on the Trojan fields where we Achaeans suffered.
  • deed: So he quickly sets out to do a noble deed.
  • truth: The four folds of the cloth symbolize the four noble truths.

Modifying Another Word

  • truly: Just beyond the wall a truly noble prospect presented itself to our eyes.
  • however: Our services and activities offer the clearest possible indication of our refusal to be trapped or imprisoned by our history however noble.
  • so: Oh you heavens, dares any So noble beare a guilty busines!
  • very: All very noble sentiments from comfy seats in leafy Britain.
  • far: I sense a far nobler heart; however the problem remains, " How do you determine right from wrong?
  • too: It is too noble to be conceived by the intelligences... It is too elevated for thoughts to grasp It.

Preposition: in

land: Everyone wept for Diana, from the smallest little child to the noblest in the land.

Browse dictionary entries near noble

  1. ‹ nobility
  2. ‹ nobelium
  3. ‹ Nobelist
  4. ‹ Nobel prize
  5. ‹ Nobel
  6. ‹ nobby
  7. ‹ nobble
  8. ‹ NOB Spread
  9. ‹ nob
  10. ‹ Noah
  1. noble fir ›
  2. noble-minded ›
  3. noble savage ›
  4. nobleman ›
  5. noblesse ›
  6. noblesse oblige ›
  7. noblewoman ›
  8. nobly ›
  9. nobody ›
  10. NOC ›