nobility

nobility
nobility (n.) mid-14c., "quality of being excellent or rare," from O.Fr. nobilite "high rank; dignity, grace; great deed" (12c., Mod.Fr. nobilité), and directly from L. nobilitatem (nom. nobilitas) "celebrity, fame; high birth; excellence, superiority; the nobles," from nobilis "well-known, prominent" (see NOBLE (Cf. noble) (adj.)). Meaning "quality of being of noble rank or birth" is attested from late 14c.; sense of "noble class collectively" is from 1520s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nobility — No*bil i*ty, n. [L. nobilitas: cf. OF. nobilit[ e]. See {Noble}.] 1. The quality or state of being noble; superiority of mind or of character; commanding excellence; eminence. [1913 Webster] Though she hated Amphialus, yet the nobility of her… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Nobility — (engl., spr. nŏbillitĭ), der englische und schottische hohe Adel, d.h. Dukes (Herzoge), Marquesses (Marquis), Earls (Grafen), Viscounts (Vikoniten) und Lords im engern Sinne (Barone). Der N. (den Noblemen) schließt sich die Gentry an, welche die… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Nobility — Nobilĭty, Noblemen (spr. nohblmĕn), engl. Bezeichnung des hohen Geburtsadels; fünf Stufen: Dukes (Herzöge), Marquesses, Earls (Grafen), Viscounts, Barons …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • nobility — index character (reputation), distinction (reputation), elite, eminence, prestige Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. B …   Law dictionary

  • nobility — *aristocracy, gentry, county, elite, society …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • nobility — [n] aristocracy; eminence dignity, elevation, elite, ennoblement, exaltation, excellence, generosity, gentry, glorification, grandeur, greatness, high society, honor, illustriousness, incorruptibility, integrity, loftiness, magnanimity,… …   New thesaurus

  • nobility — ► NOUN 1) the quality of being noble. 2) the aristocracy …   English terms dictionary

  • nobility — [nō bil′ə tē] n. pl. nobilities [ME nobilite < OFr nobilité < L nobilitas] 1. the quality or state of being noble 2. high station or rank in society, esp. when accompanied by a title 3. the class of people of noble rank or having hereditary …   English World dictionary

  • Nobility — Nobles redirects here. For other uses, see Nobles (disambiguation). For other uses, see Noble (disambiguation). Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society,… …   Wikipedia

  • Nobility — (Roget s Thesaurus) < N PARAG:Nobility >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 nobility nobility rank condition distinction optimacy blood pur sang birth high descent order Sgm: N 1 quality quality gentility …   English dictionary for students

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”