ignoble

/ɪɡˈnəʊbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪɡˈnəʊbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ig-ˈnō-bəl/ (ame, mw)

ignoble — adjective

  • ignoblepositive
  • more ignoblecomparative
  • most ignoblesuperlative

1. describing a motive, action, or feeling that is dishonourable and that the perso

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describing a motive, action, or feeling that is dishonourable and that the person doing it ought to feel ashamed about, especially because it puts selfish or petty interests above what is right.

例句

Kemi later admitted that her ignoble silence during the bullying still haunted her.

predicative use with abstract noun (silence) as subject of an ignoble action

The senator's ignoble decision to blame his staff for the leak shocked even his allies.

attributive: ignoble + noun (decision) describing a morally shameful choice

同義詞
  • shameful

    much more common, plainer register; ignoble adds a tone of moral fall from a higher standard

  • dishonourable

    near-synonym; emphasises broken duty or code rather than inner pettiness

  • base

    literary; stresses lowness of motive — greed, cowardice, spite

  • contemptible

    stronger and more judgemental; invites open scorn

反義詞
  • noble

    direct opposite; selfless and morally elevated

  • honourable

    more everyday; consistent with duty and principle

用法筆記

Subject is usually an abstract noun naming an inner state or choice — motive, impulse, thought, decision, silence, lie. People themselves are rarely called ignoble; their acts are. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense judges character, not birth or rank.

常見錯誤

❌He is a very ignoble man.
✅His decision to abandon his team was deeply ignoble.
💡ignoble usually modifies an action, motive, or feeling, not a whole person.
❌Skipping the meeting was ignoble of him because he was tired.
✅Skipping the meeting to dodge blame was ignoble of him.
💡ignoble requires a morally shameful reason, not a neutral one.

2. in older or literary use, describing a person whose family was ordinary or poor

2.形容詞C2
釋義

in older or literary use, describing a person whose family was ordinary or poor rather than aristocratic — outside the ranks of the nobility.

例句

The princess scandalised the court by marrying an ignoble farm boy from the eastern valley.

attributive use modifying a person of non-aristocratic birth

In the play, an ignoble soldier rises to lead the army after every titled commander dies.

literary register; contrast with titled / noble characters

同義詞
  • lowborn

    literary near-synonym; also rare today

  • plebeian

    Roman-historical flavour; can sound snobbish in modern use

  • common

    neutral everyday word for 'not aristocratic'

反義詞

用法筆記

Almost only seen in historical writing, fiction set in past aristocratic societies, or quoted older texts. Distinguish from sense 1: here ignoble is purely about social rank, with no moral judgement attached.

常見錯誤

❌My ignoble neighbour works at the supermarket.
✅My ordinary neighbour works at the supermarket.
💡modern speakers do not use ignoble for everyday non-aristocratic life; it sounds archaic or insulting.