Definition of nobility
1 : the quality or state of being noble in character, quality, or rank
2 : the body of persons forming the noble class in a country or state : aristocracy
From the M-W Editors
Examples of nobility in a Sentence
the nobility of his character
They have shown great courage and nobility of purpose.
Recent Examples of nobility from the Web
-
Though unconscious when the killing began, Graziani took control of the subsequent reprisal executions, aimed in particular at eliminating the Ethiopian nobility and intelligentsia.
-
Above all, Rahr aims to get recruits to appreciate the nobility of their profession.
-
The king’s alliance with a narrow sector of society, primarily the nobility, created divisions within society that exploded once the dictatorship collapsed.
-
Olivier’s Hamlet was a paragon of nobility who is undone by his conflicting unconscious desires.
-
The series, executive produced and written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, is an epic story of treachery and nobility set on the continent of Westeros, where summers and winters can last years.
-
The Ritz-Carlton in Vienna, Austria In the 19th century, wealthy citizens joined nobility at the seat of the Habsburgs to build mansions in Vienna, four of which were merged to make The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna.
-
In Portugal, nineteenth-century nobility trekked twenty slow miles into the hills near Lisbon to the fairytale Palace of Queluz in Sintra when temperatures sky-rocketed.
-
The doctrine's authority flows from the Fifth, Ninth and Tenth Amendments, and the vesting, posterity and nobility clauses of the U.S. Constitution.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nobility.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of nobility
Middle English nobilite, from Anglo-French nobilité, from Latin nobilitat-, nobilitas, from nobilis
NOBILITY Defined for English Language Learners
nobility
playDefinition of nobility for English Language Learners
-
: the quality or state of being noble in character or quality
-
the nobility : the group of people who are members of the highest social class in some countries
NOBILITY Defined for Kids
nobility
playDefinition of nobility for Students
nobilities
1 : the quality or state of having a fine or admirable character
2 : high social rank
3 : the class or a group of people of high birth or rank
Learn More about nobility
-
See words that rhyme with nobility Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for nobility Spanish Central: Translation of nobility Nglish: Translation of nobility for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of nobility for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nobility
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up nobility? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!