Nobilita, a person who has a privilege which raises him above a commoner or peasant, either by birth, by office, or by patent from his prince. The word comes from the Latin nobilitas; formed from the ancient nobiles, "distinguishable, remarkable."

In England, the word noble is of a narrower import than in other countries, being confined to persons above the degree of knights; whereas, abroad, it comprehends not only knights, but what we simply call gentlemen. The nobles of England are also called pares regni, as being nobilitatis pares, though gradu imperiores.

The Venetian nobilitas is famous: it is in this that the sovereignty of the state resides. It is divided into three classes. The first only comprehends 24 families. The second includes the descendants of all those who were entered into the Golden Book, in 1289, and destined to govern the state, which then began to be aristocratic. The third consists of such as have bought the dignity of noble Venetians. This last class is only admitted to the inferior employes; the two former to all indifferently. The title of noble Venetians is sometimes also given to foreign kings, princes, &c.

NOBLES, among the Romans, were such as had the jus imaginum, or the right of using the pictures or statues of their ancestors; a right which was allowed only to those whose ancestors had borne some curule office, that is, had been curule aedile, censor, praetor or consul. For a long time, none but the patricii were the nobilitas, because no person but of that superior rank could bear any curule office; hence in Livy, Sallust, &c. nobilitas is used to signify the patrician order, and so opposed to plebs. To make the true meaning of nobilitas still more clear, let it be observed, that the Roman people were divided into nobiles, novi, and ignobiles. Nobiles were they who had the pictures, &c. of their ancestors; novi were such as had only their own; ignobiles were such as had neither. See Jus Imaginis.

The Roman nobility, by way of distinction, wore a half moon upon their shoes, especially those of patrician rank.

The Grecian nobility were called Eupolemidae, as being descended from those old heroic ancestors so famous in history. Such were the Proxiergidae, Erobutidae, Alcmaeonidae, &c., all which had many privileges annexed to their quality; amongst which was this, that they wore grasshoppers in their hair as a badge of nobility.

a money of account containing six shillings and eight pence.

The noble was anciently a real coin struck in the reign of Edward III., and then called the penny of gold; but but it was afterwards called a rose-noble, from its being stamped with a rose: it was current at 6s. 8d.