ignoble
adjective
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The word noble, in addition to referring to someone born to aristocratic ranks, can also be used to describe someone of outstanding character. That word first appeared in English in the 13th century, and its antonym, ignoble, came about two centuries later. Ignoble derives via Middle English and Middle French from the Latin prefix in- ("not") and the Old Latin gnobilis ("noble"). Originally, ignoble described someone born to common or plebeian origins, but by the late 16th century it had come to describe people of dishonorable character, or the actions performed by such people.
Examples of ignoble in a Sentence
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Its central character, Chevy Chase's Clark W. Griswold, is a dopey dad trying to keep it together amid an escalating series of exasperating frustrations and ignoble temptations.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025
This is an ignoble plan that cites dubious science while elevating the entertainment of a handful of hunters over the revulsion of most Floridians.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2025
My focus is down to the ignoble little health annoyances that seem to cap and even eclipse a major setback.
—John Updike, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ignoble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignoble. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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ignoble
adjective
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