noblesse oblige

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French noblesse oblige (literally “nobility obliges”), primarily used as a phrase. See noblesse and obliger.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /nəʊˌblɛs ɒˈbliːʒ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /noʊˌblɛs əˈbliʒ/
• Rhymes: -iːʒ

Noun

noblesse oblige (uncountable)

1. The honourable obligation that is the responsibility of those of high rank; in American English this often includes the expectation of benevolent actions such as helping those less fortunate.

Usage notes

• The Oxford English Dictionary says that the term “suggests noble ancestry constrains to honourable behaviour; privilege entails responsibility”. Being a noble meant that you had responsibilities to lead, manage, etc. You were not to simply spend your time in idle pursuits.

Translations

the honourable obligation that is the responsibility of those of high rank

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 貴族義務／贵族义务 (guìzú yìwù)

• Czech: vznešenost zavazuje f
• Danish: adel forpligter
• Dutch: adel verplicht m
• Estonian: noblesse oblige (et)
• Finnish: aateluus velvoittaa
• French: noblesse oblige (fr) m
• German: Adel verpflichtet (phrase)
• Hungarian: a nemesség kötelez, a név kötelez
• Italian: noblesse oblige m
• Japanese: ノブレス・オブリージュ (noburesu oburīju)
• Korean: 노블레스 오블리주 (nobeulleseu obeulliju)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: xanedanî xwastin

• Norman: noblièche oblyige m
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: adel forplikter

• Polish: szlachectwo zobowiązuje
• Portuguese: noblesse oblige (pt) m or f
• Romanian: noblețea obligă f
• Russian: нобле́с обли́ж m (noblés oblíž)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: плѐмство обавезује n

  Roman: plèmstvo obavezuje n

• Spanish: nobleza obliga m or f

French

Etymology

Literally, “nobility obliges”. See noblesse and obliger.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɔ.blɛ.s‿ɔ.bliʒ/, /nɔ.ble.s‿ɔ.bliʒ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iʒ

Phrase

noblesse oblige

1. noble or more generally high-ranked people have honourable obligations towards lower-ranked or less fortunate ones, and should behave nobly towards them

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French noblesse oblige (literally “nobility obliges”), primarily used as a phrase.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /noˈblɛs oˈbliʒ/

Phrase

noblesse oblige

1. noble or more generally high-ranked people have honourable/honorable obligations towards lower-ranked or less fortunate ones, and should behave nobly towards them

   Synonym: la nobiltà fa obbligo

Noun

noblesse oblige m (uncountable)

1. noblesse oblige (the honourable/honorable obligation that is the responsibility of those of high rank)

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French noblesse oblige (literally “nobility obliges”), primarily used as a phrase.

Noun

noblesse oblige m or f (uncountable)

1. noblesse oblige (the honourable obligation that is the responsibility of those of high rank)