Word of the Day

: March 21, 2009

ignoble

adjective ig-NOH-bul

What It Means

1 : of low birth or common origin : plebeian

2 : characterized by baseness, lowness, or meanness

ignoble in Context

"Ever the opportunist, Luthor has been hanging around Superman's arctic fortress … while devising plans for world dictatorship and other ignoble acts." (Kevin Canfield, The Journal News, June 27, 2006)

Did You Know?

The word "noble," in addition to referring to someone born to aristocratic ranks, can also be used to describe someone of outstanding character. That word first appeared in English in the 13th century, and its antonym, "ignoble," came about two centuries later. "Ignoble" derives via Middle English and Middle French from the Latin prefix "in-" ("not") and the Old Latin "gnobilis" ("noble"). Originally, "ignoble" described someone born to common or plebeian origins, but by the late 16th century it had come to describe people of dishonorable character, or the actions performed by such people.