noblest
noblest — adjective
- noblestpositive
- more noblestcomparative
- most noblestsuperlative
1. having the highest moral qualities, such as honesty, bravery, and a strong sense
having the highest moral qualities, such as honesty, bravery, and a strong sense of what is right — someone who is noble in this sense acts selflessly and with integrity even when doing so is hard.
Returning the lost wallet was the noblest act of honesty Theo's friends had ever seen.
superlative: the noblest + noun (act)
It was noble of Nora to forgive the driver who crashed into her car.
noble of + person + to-infinitive: praising someone's character
The firefighters who ran back into the burning building showed the most noble courage.
Omar believed that telling the truth, even when it hurts, is a noble act.
Sofia's noble effort to help the homeless family went unnoticed by the news cameras.
- virtuous
focuses on following high moral standards; slightly more formal than 'noble'
- honorable
emphasises keeping one's word and acting with integrity; often used in military or professional contexts
- righteous
stronger tone, implies moral anger or certainty about what is right; can sound self-righteous in some contexts
- dignified
focuses on the calm, serious way a person behaves, not necessarily on active moral choices
文法句型
noble + noun
it + be + noble + to-infinitive
noble of + person + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Frequently used in the superlative form 'noblest' when describing an action or quality as the highest example of its kind. The pattern 'it is noble of someone to do something' is common in spoken and written English.
常見錯誤
2. belonging to the highest social class in a society that has a formal system of r
belonging to the highest social class in a society that has a formal system of ranked titles, usually because your family has held that position for many generations.
Hana came from a noble family that owned the same estate since the seventeenth century.
collocation: noble family
In feudal Japan, only children of noble birth could attend the imperial court.
fixed phrase: noble birth
The Watanabe family's noble lineage was recorded in the national archives of the old kingdom.
Diego discovered that his great-grandmother was a noble woman who had married a common soldier.
Noble families in that country once held all the political power through their inherited titles.
- aristocratic
more formal; describes the class system itself rather than a person's belonging to it
- blue-blooded
informal; suggests old, established noble families rather than recently titled ones
文法句型
noble + noun (family/blood/birth/rank)
用法筆記
In this sense 'noble' is almost always used before a noun ('noble family', 'noble blood') rather than predicatively. It describes a social fact, not a moral judgment — do not confuse with sense 1 (MORAL CHARACTER).
常見錯誤
3. very impressive in size, appearance, or quality — used about buildings, landscap
very impressive in size, appearance, or quality — used about buildings, landscapes, or objects that make people admire them because they look grand, stately, or beautifully made.
The old cathedral stood on the hill; its noblest tower was visible across the city.
superlative: the noblest + noun (tower)
Fatima thought the mountain view was a noble sight that no photograph could capture.
The museum hall has very noble proportions, with tall marble columns and a painted ceiling.
Raj admired the noble lines of the eighteenth-century ship model in the maritime museum.
The queen's portrait had the noblest frame in the gallery, carved from dark oak.
文法句型
noble + noun (building/view/proportions)
the noblest + noun
very noble
noblest — noun
- noblestsingular
- noblestsplural
1. a person who, through birth or royal appointment, holds a formal title such as d
a person who, through birth or royal appointment, holds a formal title such as duke, earl, countess, or baron, which places them at the top of a ranked social system.
The king invited every noble in the kingdom to the wedding of his eldest daughter.
pattern: every noble in + location
At the ceremony nobles sat in front while the common people stood at the back.
Leila's grandmother spoke of a noble who left his title to marry a farmer's daughter.
After the revolution many nobles lost their land and had to find work.
The old castle still belongs to a French noble who visits only twice a year.
- aristocrat
more common in modern English; refers to any member of the upper class, with or without a specific title
- peer
specifically a member of the British nobility who has the right to sit in the House of Lords
- lord
can be a general term for a nobleman or a specific title; also used as a form of address
- commoner
a person who is not a member of the nobility; the direct opposite in a class system
文法句型
the + noble + verb
a/an + noble
noble + of + place
用法筆記
The noun 'noble' is most natural when referring to a specific historical or fictional aristocracy. In modern everyday English, speakers are more likely to say 'aristocrat' or use the specific title ('the duke', 'the countess') instead of the general noun 'noble'.