nobilis Latin · revision 6970

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=la nōscō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈnoː.bɪ.lɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɔː.bi.lis]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nōbilis''' (neuter nōbile, comparative nōbilior, superlative nōbilissimus); third-declension two-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[nōscō]] “to get to know” with the suffix [[-bilis]], so “knowable, known”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Gaffiot 2016) The archaic form ⟨gnōbilis⟩ appears in Livius Andronicus and Accius, as Festus reports.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Köbler traces it to [[ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-|t=to know]].^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Livius Andronicus, whom he dates 280/260–before 200 BC, with the archaic ''gnōbilis''.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant knowable, known, familiar, as Plautus' ''neque is umquam nōbilis fuī'' “I never was known”, and ''nōbile est'' “it is well known”.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(OLD 2012) It meant renowned, famous, for good or ill, as in Lucilius, remarkable, and of persons distinguished, illustrious.^(OLD 2012) At Rome it was used of those, patrician or plebeian, whose ancestors had held curule office, so noble, well-born, and as a noun a nobleman, and Varro also uses it of animals of good breed.^(OLD 2012) It meant noble in character, grand or majestic in style, as in Horace, and of things superior of their kind.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein explains that ''celeber'' and ''inclutus'' are used of things more than persons, ''clārus'' and ''illūstris'' of persons.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant noble, high-born, of distinguished ancestry.^(Stelten 1995) Niermeyer notes that the origin of the medieval nobility is much disputed, and the medieval word is open to many interpretations.^(Niermeyer 1976) [[en|noble]] came through Old French about 1200.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus has ''gnōbilis''.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the known and the well-born.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of famous persons.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the distinguished and of noblemen.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English ''noble'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Known, familiar, ''nōbile est'', it is well known.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Renowned, famous; remarkable.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Distinguished, [[m|en|illustrious]]; important.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|Noble]], well-born; as a noun, a nobleman; of animals, well bred.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Noble in character.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Lofty, majestic.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Of things, superior of its kind.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ignōbilis]]

+ * [[nōbilitās]]

+ * [[nōbilitō]]

+ * [[pernōbilis]]

+ * [[praenōbilis]]

+ * [[nōbiliter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nōscō]]

+ * [[clārus]]

+ * [[en|noble]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}