nubile

adjective

nu·​bile ˈnü-ˌbī(-ə)l How to pronounce nubile (audio)
ˈnyü-,
-bəl How to pronounce nubile (audio)
Synonyms of nubilenext
1
: of marriageable condition or age
nubile young women
2
: sexually attractive
—used of a young woman
a nubile starlet
nubility
nü-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce nubile (audio)
nyü-
noun

Examples of nubile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the case being appealed, nubile young Karlyn asked for a two-year sentence. —Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 30 July 2025 That includes the horror genre, which has typically been focused on terrorizing nubile youth. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 11 Mar. 2025 Michelle Randolph plays Ainsley Norris, Tommy’s 17-year-old nubile high school senior. —Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2025 Their violent sibling rivalry and Baby Jane’s unhinged commitment to the vaudeville act that made her famous mirror the toxic bond between Moore’s Elisabeth and her nubile double, Sue (Margaret Qualley). —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 Feb. 2025 Enter the mysterious potion of the title, which allows Elisabeth to birth a younger, more nubile version of herself (Margaret Qualley). —Melena Ryzik, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French & Latin; French nubile, borrowed from Latin nūbilis "of an age suitable for marriage," from nūb-, stem of nūbere "(of a woman) to get married (to), contract a marriage" + -ilis -ile entry 1; nūbere perhaps going back to Indo-European *sneu̯bh-, whence also, from a causative derivative *snou̯bh-ei̯e-, Russian Church Slavic snoublʼju, snoubiti "to propose as a spouse, arrange a sexual partner (for)," Slovene snúbiti "to propose (a woman) as a spouse," Czech snoubit se "to get married"

Note: The linking of nūbere with this group of Slavic verbs has been objected to, on the grounds that their orientation is toward the suitor rather than the bride, and that the etymon is attested in only two Indo-European subfamilies. Ernout and Meillet (Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue latine) favor a connection with Latin obnūbere "to veil, cover (usually the head)," proposing that the original meaning of nūbere was approximately "to take the veil." This would further connect nūbere to nūbēs "cloud" (see nuance), though a difficulty here is that the best comparable item outside Latin is Welsh nudd "mist, haze," which would suggest a proto-form *(s)neu̯dh/ *(s)nou̯dh-, with aspirate d. If this were the case, the past participle of nūbere would be *nussus rather than the attested nuptus (whence nupta "married woman," from which nuptiae "marriage"; nuptial entry 1). The forms nuptus, etc., would have to be relatively late creations based on the present stem (though nuptiae is already known from the early Latin poet Ennius). See M. de Vaan, Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages (Brill, 2011). Compare also connubial.

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nubile was in 1642

Rhymes for nubile

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Browse Nearby Words

Nubian ibex
nubile
nubilous
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Cite this Entry

“Nubile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nubile. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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Medical Definition

nubile

adjective
nu·​bile ˈn(y)ü-bəl How to pronounce nubile (audio) -ˌbīl How to pronounce nubile (audio)
: sexually mature
especially : of marriageable condition or age
—used of young women
nubility
n(y)ü-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce nubile (audio)
noun
plural nubilities

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