Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

noblesse oblige

/noʊˌblɛs əˈbliʒ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.24 in modern English

Syllables
no-blesse oblige
IPA
/noʊˌblɛs əˈbliʒ/
19
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The honourable obligation that is the responsibility of those of high rank; in American English this often includes the expectation of benevolent actions such as helping those less fortunate.

Uncountable

Etymology

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /noʊˌblɛs əˈbliʒ/
  • British English: /nəʊˌblɛs ɒˈbliːʒ/

Usage

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce noblesse oblige?
The recorded pronunciation is /noʊˌblɛs əˈbliʒ/.
What does noblesse oblige mean?
The honourable obligation that is the responsibility of those of high rank; in American English this often includes the expectation of benevolent actions such as helping those less fortunate.
Where does noblesse oblige come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce noblesse oblige

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “noblesse oblige”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/noʊˌblɛs əˈbliʒ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “noblesse oblige”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “noblesse oblige” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.