adjective / noun
noble
A member of a hereditary aristocratic class, or belonging to that class.
The young noble inherits his family's title and ancestral estate.
Etymology
The Latin adjective connected being well-known with elevated social standing. Its hereditary sense identifies membership in a recognized class of people of high birth.
In context
When the Jiang's supposed to be ruined, why did the emperor grant Jiang Lubao such a high noble rank?
More examples
- She belongs to a noble family with a long history.
- Several nobles gathered at the palace to advise the king.
- His noble birth gives him privileges that commoners lack.
Forms
noble · nobles
nobility noun — The hereditary aristocratic class as a group.
Similar words
- aristocrat
- Emphasizes membership in an upper class, not a particular title.
- aristocratic
- Can describe upper-class manners as well as hereditary status.