| Anglo-Norman and Middle French nobilité valour, merit, renown (mid 11th cent. in Old French as nobilitet), nobility of birth (mid 15th cent.), nobles, aristocracy (early 16th cent.; in Anglo-Norman also in sense ‘great deed’) or their etymon classical [[Latin]] nobilitas renown, distinction, noble birth, nobles, aristocracy, loftiness of [[character]] < nobilis NOBLE adj. + -tas (see -TY suffix1; compare -ITY suffix). Compare Italian nobilità peerage, aristocracy (early 14th cent. in Dante; a1250 in sense ‘excellence, superiority’) | | Anglo-Norman and Middle French nobilité valour, merit, renown (mid 11th cent. in Old French as nobilitet), nobility of birth (mid 15th cent.), nobles, aristocracy (early 16th cent.; in Anglo-Norman also in sense ‘great deed’) or their etymon classical [[Latin]] nobilitas renown, distinction, noble birth, nobles, aristocracy, loftiness of [[character]] < nobilis NOBLE adj. + -tas (see -TY suffix1; compare -ITY suffix). Compare Italian nobilità peerage, aristocracy (early 14th cent. in Dante; a1250 in sense ‘excellence, superiority’) |