noble

adjective

Save Word

no·ble | \ ˈnō-bəl

nobler\ ˈnō-b(ə-)lər

\; noblest\ ˈnō-b(ə-)ləst

Definition of noble

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

3a : 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

noble

noun

Definition of noble (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a person of noble rank or birth

2 : an old English gold coin equivalent to 6 shillings and 8 pence

Other Words from noble Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing noble Learn More About noble

Other Words from noble

Adjective

nobleness \ ˈnō-bəl-nəs

\ noun

nobly \ ˈnō-blē

also -bə-lē \ adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for noble

Adjective

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 That is when her direct ancestors, the Marassi family, who then held the dukedom of Pietratagliata, bought it from the Termines, the Sicilian noble family with Catalan roots who built the palace in a Gothic-Catalan style. — J.s. Marcus, WSJ, 11 May 2022 Set in the distant future of the universe, the plot centers on House Atreides, a noble family of the Great Houses under the feudal empire of the Dune universe known as the Imperium. — Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, 22 Mar. 2022 The latter is the only building still standing, but the foundations of the houses, built by the noble Percy family, can still be seen, as can those of the surrounding peasant homes. — Joe Minihane, CNN, 9 Feb. 2022 The graveyard was built in 1442 with the approval of the noble Gonzaga family, who reigned over Mantua during the Renaissance era. — Giovanni Vigna, sun-sentinel.com, 13 Jan. 2022 It’s known as the Castello Pennisi di Floristella and was home to the noble Pennisi family for many years. — Helena Madden, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2022 Kang Han-na plays the daughter of a noble family involved in the power struggle. — Joan Macdonald, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2022 Not everyone’s intentions are as noble, said Mr. Hryhorov, the police chief. — Yaroslav Trofimov, WSJ, 10 May 2022 Many of the most important Western films have, in one way or another, complicated the lonesome-and-noble male archetype. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The rebellion began in 1648, when an influential Cossack, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, saw his lands seized and his son attacked by a Polish noble. — Timothy Snyder, The New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2022 Researchers speculate the silver seal may have been owned by a noble who was unaware it was set with a Roman gem. — David Kindy, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 May 2021 That colonial label came from the same English noble—Thomas West of Wherwell, the third Baron De La Warr—whose name the English also stuck on a big river and a small colony, by its mouth, that later became a state. — Joshua Jelly-schapiro, The New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2021 Margaret was removed from power and forced into exile while John Stewart, the Duke of Albany—a pro-French, anti-England noble favored by Parliament, who also happened to be Margaret's late husband's cousin—took over as regent for her son, James V. — Liz Cantrell, Town & Country, 9 Oct. 2020 Menlo Castle Menlo Castle in western Ireland was built in the 16th century as an estate for the Blake family of English nobles. — Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Mar. 2020 Also on this day: 44 B.C.: Julius Caesar is assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius. — Fox News, 15 Mar. 2020 This is partly because the country is a historical fusion of small states and cities that were once run by princes and nobles, all determined to prove their cultural prowess. — Catherine Hickley, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2020 Some researchers say the events of 378 may have been a more limited case of palace intrigue, with the nobles of one powerful region elbowing their way into the politics of another. — Lizzie Wade, Science | AAAS, 27 Feb. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'noble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.