honorable

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English honourable, from Old French honorable, honurable, from Latin honōrābilis, from honōrō (I honour); cognate with Italian onorabile, Spanish honorable. By surface analysis, honor +‎ -able. In this sense, largely displaced Old English ārfæst.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ŏnʹərəbl, ŏnʹrəbl, IPA(key): /ˈɒnəɹəbl̩/, /ˈɒnɹəbl̩/
  • (General American) enPR: ŏnʹərəbl, ŏnʹrəbl, IPA(key): /ˈɑnəɹəbl̩/, /ˈɑnɹəbl̩/
    • (file)
  • Hyphenation: hon‧or‧able, honor‧able

Adjective

honorable (comparative more honorable, superlative most honorable) (American spelling)

  1. Worthy of respect; respectable.
    Synonyms: noble, venerable
    Antonyms: contemptible, despicable, mean
  2. (politics) A courtesy title, given in Britain and the Commonwealth to a cabinet minister, minister of state, or senator, and in the United States to the president, vice president, congresspeople, state governors and legislators, and mayors.
    Synonyms: (abbreviation) Hon'ble, (abbreviation) Hon.

Usage notes

  • Historically used in the United States (early 1900s) in mockery of Japanese people (or honorable Japs).

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

honorable (plural honorables)

  1. A politician or other person who bears the title of "honorable".
    • 1959, American Journal of Psychotherapy, volume 13, page 111:
      These included a reception for the Congress participants, given by the city of Barcelona in a 14th century palace, with guards making room for the mayor and other honorables, []

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin honōrābilis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

honorable m or f (masculine and feminine plural honorables)

  1. honorable

Derived terms

Further reading

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French , borrowed from Latin honōrābilis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

honorable (plural honorables)

  1. honorable

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

Galician

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Latin honōrābilis.

Adjective

honorable m or f (plural honorables)

  1. honorable

Related terms

Further reading

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin honōrābilis. Equivalent to honor +‎ -able.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /onoˈɾable/
  • Audio (Colombia):(file)
  • Rhymes: -able
  • Syllabification: ho‧no‧ra‧ble

Adjective

honorable m or f (masculine and feminine plural honorables)

  1. honorable
    Synonyms: honrado, honesto

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading