Nobilis, a person who has any 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 nobilis, formed from the ancient nosibilis, distinguishable or 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, through gradu impares.

Nobles, amongst 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 edile, censor, praetor, or consul. For a long time none but the patrici were the nobiles, because no person except those holding that superior rank could bear any curule office; and hence in Livy, Sallust, and other authors, the word nobilitas is used to signify the patrician order, and is hence opposed to plebs. To render the true meaning of nobiles still clearer, let it be observed, that the Roman people were divided into nobiles, novi, and ignobiles. The nobiles were those who had the pictures or statues of their ancestors; the novi were such as had only their own; and the ignobiles were such as had neither. The Roman nobility, by way of distinction, wore a half moon upon their shoes, especially those of patrician rank.

The nobility of Greece were called Eoarxipou, as being descended from those old heroic ancestors so famous in history. Such were the Praxiergidae, Etrobutidae, Alcmaonidae, and others, all of whom had many privileges annexed to their quality, and, amongst the rest, that they wore grasshoppers in their hair as a badge of nobility.

a money of account, containing six shillings and eightpence. The noble was anciently a real coin struck in the reign of Edward III., and then called the penny of gold; but it was afterwards called a rose-noble, from its being stamped with a rose. It was current at six shillings and eightpence.

NOQUERA DE PAGANI, a city of the kingdom of Naples, in the province Principato Citeriore. It stands at the foot of a hill near the river Sarno, and is the see of a bishop, containing a cathedral, several parish churches and monasteries, with 6790 inhabitants.