English
nobility
Nobility comes from Latin nōbilis ‘noble’, from nōscō ‘know, recognize’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵneh₃-‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵn̥h₃sḱéti‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gnōskō‘to know, get to know’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgnōscō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnōscō‘know, recognize’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnōbilis‘noble’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnobilitas
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400nobilité
- Englishtodaynobility
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵneh₃-‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵn̥h₃sḱéti‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gnōskō‘to know, get to know’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgnōscō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnōscō‘know, recognize’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnōbilis‘noble’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnobilitas
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400nobilité
- Englishtodaynobility
Formed from noble + -ity
Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- ‘to recognise’
…
Latin nōscō ‘to know’
Latin nōbilis ‘knowable, known, well-known, famous,…’
Old French noble
Middle English noble
English noble
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- ‘to recognise’
can, could, know, normal, narrative, glory, recognition, con, ignore, ken, keen, ignorant, norm, cunning, narration, prognosis, canny, connoisseur, uncouth, canna, recognizance, gnosis, kith, cun, 83 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₃sḱéti ‘to recognise’
diagnostic, gnome, agnostic, 39 more
through Latin gnōscō
recognize, cognitive, quaint, denote, incognito, annotation, precognition, 29 more
through Latin nōscō ‘know, recognize’
note, notice, notion, notorious, notation, cognition, notary, notoriety, acquaint, cognizance, annotate, noblesse, ignoble, 22 more
through Latin nōbilis ‘noble’
Today it means
noun A noble or privileged social class, historically accompanied by a hereditary title; aristocracy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- / nobility