Word of the Day
: November 5, 2006noblesse oblige
playWhat It Means
: the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth
noblesse oblige in Context
"In the Robinson family's circles, public service had long been common; it connoted not personal ambition so much as noblesse oblige." (Connie Bruck, The New Yorker, July 23, 1990)
Did You Know?
In French, "noblesse oblige" means literally "nobility obligates." French speakers transformed the phrase into a noun, which English speakers picked up in the 19th century. Then, as now, "noblesse oblige" referred to the unwritten obligation of people from a noble ancestry to act honorably and generously to others. Later, by extension, it also came to refer to the obligation of anyone who is in a better position than others -- due, for example, to high office or celebrity -- to act respectably and responsibly.
