noble

noble · noun, adjective¹

1. Latin · derived fromnōbilis“knowable, known, well-known, famous, celebrated, high-born, of noble birth, excellent”
2. Old French · derived fromnoble
3. Middle English · inherited fromnoble
4. English todaynoble

From Middle English noble, from Old French noble, borrowed from Latin nōbilis (“knowable, known, well-known, famous, celebrated, high-born, of noble birth, excellent”), from nōscere, gnōscere (“to know”). False cognate of Arabic نبيل (nabīl). Displaced native English athel, from Old English æþele.

Noble · proper noun²

From noble.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. An aristocrat; one of aristocratic blood.
• from 14th c. A medieval gold coin of England in the 14th and 15th centuries, usually valued at 6s 8d.