Nobilities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A class of individuals characterized by high social status or noble birth
2. The collective set of people holding titles of nobility, often associated with feudal systems
3. Groups or families distinguished by hereditary rights and privileges in society

Etymology: "Nobilities" is the plural of "nobility," so it refers to several distinct noble ranks or groups of nobles, or to more than one such class in different places or periods. The singular "nobility" comes from Old French "nobilité," itself taken from Latin "nobilitas," which meant fame, renown, or distinction, and came from "nobilis," meaning well-known or of high birth. The Latin root carries the sense of being known and talked about, which is why the idea of rank and reputation became fused in the word. Built from the English adjective "noble" with the suffix "-ity," which turns an adjective into an abstract noun meaning a quality or state, "nobility" names the condition of being noble before it names the people who share it. The plural form is less common than the singular, and it appears most naturally when writers want to speak of the different aristocracies of different countries or eras.