ignoble
verbEtymology Borrowed from Middle French ignoble, from Latin ignōbilis, from in- (“not”) + gnōbilis, later nōbilis (“noble”).
1
To make ignoble; to bring low.
ignoble
adjUK /ɪɡˈnəʊbəl/ · US /ɪɡˈnoʊbəl/
Etymology Borrowed from Middle French ignoble, from Latin ignōbilis, from in- (“not”) + gnōbilis, later nōbilis (“noble”).
1
Not noble; plebeian; common.
- I was not ignoble of descent.c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
2
Not honorable; base.
- A base, ignoble mind, / That mounts no higher than a bird can soar.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
- far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife1750 June 12 (date written; published 1751), T[homas] Gray, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, in Designs by Mr. R[ichard] Bentley, for Six Poems by Mr. T. Gray, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], published 1753, →OCLC:
3
Not a true or "noble" falcon; said of certain hawks, such as the goshawk.
4
Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Of an element, dangerously reactive.
- Synonyms
- common, plebeian, vulgar, degenerate, mean, base, vile, low-minded, reproachful, shameful, disgraceful
- Derived terms
- ignobility, ignobleness, ignobly