noblesse oblige

noun

no·​blesse oblige nō-ˈbles-ə-ˈblēzh 

: the obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth

Did you know?

Noblesse Oblige Has French Origins

In a tale collected in 16th-century Germany, a noblewoman wonders why the hungry poor don’t simply eat Krosem (a sweet bread), her cluelessness prefiguring the later, much more famous quote attributed to Marie Antoinette: “let them eat cake.” The queen never actually said that, but we can think of the sentiment behind noblesse oblige as the quote’s opposite—something more like “let us bake them a cake since we own all the eggs/flour/sugar/etc.” In French, noblesse oblige means literally “nobility obligates.” It was first quoted in English in the early 19th century, before being used as a noun referring to the unwritten obligation of aristocrats 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 of noblesse oblige in a Sentence

He was raised to have a strong sense of noblesse oblige.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the ensuing decades, the armed forces frequently acted on this sense of noblesse oblige, although usually with a modicum of restraint. —Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2020

The proposals appear to be motivated by a sincere desire to bring an end to the strike, coupled with a sense of noblesse oblige, suggesting that high-earning actors should sacrifice to reach that resolution. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 19 Oct. 2023

Today, Beek and his family run it out of a sense of noblesse oblige. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2023

Then the Consolers smile, noblesse oblige. —Armond White, National Review, 18 May 2022

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, nobility obligates

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

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