nobility

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no·bil·i·ty

(nō-bĭl′ĭ-tē)

n. pl. no·bil·i·ties

1. A class of persons distinguished by high birth or rank and in Great Britain including dukes and duchesses, marquises and marchionesses, earls and countesses, viscounts and viscountesses, and barons and baronesses: "The old English nobility of office made way for the Norman nobility of faith and landed wealth" (Winston S. Churchill).

2. Noble rank or status: Congress may not grant titles of nobility.

3. The state or quality of being exalted in character.

[Middle English nobilite, the quality of being noble, from Old French, from Latin nōbilitās, from nōbilis, noble; see noble.]

nobility

(nəʊˈbɪlɪtɪ)

n, pl -ties

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a socially or politically privileged class whose titles are conferred by descent or by royal decree

2. the state or quality of being morally or spiritually good; dignity: the nobility of his mind.

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in the British Isles) the class of people holding the titles of dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, or barons and their feminine equivalents collectively; peerage

no•bil•i•ty

(noʊˈbɪl ɪ ti)

n., pl. -ties.

1. the noble class or the body of nobles in a country.

2. the state or quality of being noble.

3. nobleness of mind, character, or spirit.

4. grandeur.

5. noble birth or rank.

[1350–1400; Middle English nobilite < Latin nōbilitās. See noble]

Nobility

the body of persons forming the noble class of a country or state—Wilkes.

Example: nobility of the realm, 1530.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	nobility - a privileged class holding hereditary titles aristocracy elite, elite group - a group or class of persons enjoying superior intellectual or social or economic status noblesse - members of the nobility (especially of the French nobility) baronage, peerage - the peers of a kingdom considered as a group baronetage - the collective body of baronets knighthood - aristocrats holding the rank of knight samurai - feudal Japanese military aristocracy aristocrat, blue blood, patrician - a member of the aristocracy
	2.	nobility - the quality of elevation of mind and exaltation of character or ideals or conduct magnanimousness, nobleness, grandeur honorableness, honourableness - the quality of deserving honor or respect; characterized by honor high-mindedness, noble-mindedness, idealism - elevated ideals or conduct; the quality of believing that ideals should be pursued sublimity - nobility in thought or feeling or style
	3.	nobility - the state of being of noble birth noblesse status, position - the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society; "he had the status of a minor"; "the novel attained the status of a classic"; "atheists do not enjoy a favorable position in American life" purple - of imperial status; "he was born to the purple"

nobility

noun

1. aristocracy, lords, elite, nobles, upper class, peerage, ruling class, patricians, high society They married into the nobility and entered the highest ranks of society.

2. dignity, majesty, greatness, grandeur, magnificence, stateliness, nobleness I found Mr. Mandela supremely courteous, with a genuine nobility of bearing.

3. integrity, honour, virtue, goodness, honesty, righteousness, probity, rectitude, worthiness, incorruptibility, uprightness There can be no doubt about the remarkable strength and nobility of her character.

Related words
adjective nobiliary

Quotations
"New nobility is but the act of power, but ancient nobility is the act of time" [Francis Bacon Essays]

Ranks of nobility

Ranks of British nobility (in order of precedence) royal duke or (fem.) royal duchess, duke or (fem.) duchess, marquess or marquis or (fem.) marchioness, earl or (fem.) countess, viscount or (fem.) viscountess, baron or (fem.) baroness, baronet

Ranks of foreign nobility archduke or (fem.) archduchess, boyar, burgrave, count or (fem.) countess, grand duke or (fem.) grand duchess, grandee, landgrave or (fem.) landgravine, marchese or (fem.) marchesa, margrave or (fem.) margravine, marquis or marquise, prince or (fem.) princess, vicomte or (fem.) vicomtesse