noble

plural nobles

1. An aristocrat; one of aristocratic blood.First known use 14th c.

   This country house was occupied by nobles in the 16th century.

   Antonyms: commoner, plebeian

2. historicalA medieval gold coin of England in the 14th and 15th centuries, usually valued at 6s 8d.First known use 14th c.

   I lyked no thynge his playe, / For yf I had not quyckely fledde the touche, / He had plucte oute the nobles of my pouche.

   1499, John Skelton, The Bowge of Courte

   2 more examples

   And who shall then stick closest to ye, and excite others? not he who takes up armes for cote and conduct, and his four nobles of Danegelt.

   1644, John Milton, Areopagitica, page 34

   There, before the high altar, as the choir's voices soared upwards to the blue, star-flecked ceiling, Henry knelt and made his offering of a ‘noble in gold’, 6s 8d.

   2011, Thomas Penn, Winter King, Penguin, published 2012, page 93

comparative nobler · comparative more noble · superlative noblest · superlative most noble

1. Having honorable qualities; having moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean or dubious in conduct and character.

   He made a noble effort.

   3 more examples

   He is a noble man who would never put his family in jeopardy.

   Korben, I realize you must be pretty mad at me. But I want you to know that I am fighting for a noble cause. / Yes, you're trying to save the world. I remember.

   1997, 1:44:10 from the start, in The Fifth Element (Science Fiction / Action), →ISBN, →OCLC

   Wouldn't it be nobler by far to fight the good fight with all the weapons available: a firm bass voice, a wagging finger, the Bible?

   2001 June 10, Walter Kim, “What Do You Tell The Kids?”, in TIME, archived from the original on 07 Mar 2016, retrieved 16 Jul 2014

   Synonyms: great, honorable · Antonyms: despicable, ignoble, mean, vile

2. Grand; stately; magnificent; splendid.

   a noble edifice

   1 more example

   He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength—all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter V, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

3. Of exalted rank; of or relating to the nobility; distinguished from the masses by birth, station, or title; highborn.

   noble blood; a noble personage

   Synonyms: superior · Antonyms: inferior, plebeian

4. chemistryOf an element, unreactive.
5. beveragesBelonging to a class of grape cultivars traditionally considered most favorable for winemaking, usually encompassing the six: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling.
6. geometryBoth isohedral and isogonal.

1. A surname.
2. A male given name.

   A son, Atticus Noble Stewart, was born to Tracey Williams and Joseph Stewart of Silver Spring.

   2002 December 26, “Montgomery Birth Announcements”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC

3. A number of places in the United States:
   1. A village in Richland County, Illinois.
   2. A township and unincorporated community therein, in Jay County, Indiana.
   3. An unincorporated community in Washington County, Iowa.
   4. A village in Sabine Parish, Louisiana.
   5. An unincorporated community in Ozark County, Missouri.
   6. A city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma.
   7. A number of other townships in the United States, listed under Noble Township.

1. USabbreviationinitialismInitialism of National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.