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. | ![]() 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) baronetage - the collective body of baronets knighthood - aristocrats holding the rank of knight samurai - feudal Japanese military aristocracy |
2. | ![]() 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 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
adjective nobiliary
Quotations
"New nobility is but the act of power, but ancient nobility is the act of time" [Francis Bacon Essays]
"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
nobility
noun1. People of the highest social level:
aristocracy, blue blood, crème de la crème, elite, flower, gentility, gentry, patriciate, quality, society, upper class, who's who.
Informal: upper crust.
2. Noble rank or status by birth:
Translations
النُّبَلاءنُبْل، نَبالَه، أصالَه، شَرَف الشُّعور
аристокрация
šlechtaušlechtilostvznešenostšlechetnost
adelædelhednobelhed
aadel
aateli
plemstvo
nemesség
aîallaîalsmannastétt
šľachetnosť
asaletasillersoylularsoyluluk
noble
(ˈnəubl) adjective1. honourable; unselfish. a noble mind; a noble deed.
2. of high birth or rank. a noble family; of noble birth.
noun a person of high birth. The nobles planned to murder the king.
noˈbility (-ˈbi-) noun1. the state of being noble. the nobility of his mind/birth.
2. nobles ie dukes, earls etc. The nobility supported the king during the revolution.
ˈnobly adverbHe worked nobly for the cause of peace.
ˈnobleman – feminine ˈnoblewoman – noun a noble. The king was murdered by a nobleman at his court.