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Noblesse Oblige Obligation Act Speakers High Sense July

Noblesse oblige refers to the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth.

Noblesse oblige es la obligación de un comportamiento honorable, generoso y responsable asociado con alto rango o linaje.

Word noblesse oblige
Date July 25, 2020
Type noun
Syllables noh-BLESS-uh-BLEEZH
Etymology In French, noblesse oblige means literally "nobility obligates." French speakers transformed the phrase into a noun, which English speakers picked up in the 19th century. Then, as now, noblesse oblige referred to the unwritten obligation of people from a noble ancestry to act honorably and generously to others. Later, by extension, it also came to refer to the obligation of anyone who is in a better position than others—due, for example, to high office or celebrity—to act respectably and responsibly.
Examples "Like many independent schools, Shipley cultivates a sense of noblesse oblige among its students—the notion that part of being educated in a privileged environment requires scholars to give back." — Alfred Lubrano, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 May 2020

"And, unlike the goal of simply becoming fabulously wealthy—which one could also accomplish by winning the lottery or marrying a nonroyal oil magnate—princesshood came with a sense of noblesse oblige. You would be doing it to inspire people. You would be your own act of charity." — Monica Hesse, The Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2020
Definition : the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth

Tags: wordoftheday::noun

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