notable

English

Alternative forms

• nottable (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English notable (“worthy of note, profitable, useful”), in some senses from Anglo-Norman notable (“noteworthy”), from Latin notābilis (“noteworthy, extraordinary”), from notō (“to note, mark”); in some senses from Middle English note (“benefit, profit, use, advantage”), from Old English notu (“t-use, profit, advantage, employment”) + -able; equivalent to note +‎ -able. Compare English noteful (“useful”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnəʊtəbl̩/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnoʊdəbəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

notable (comparative more notable, superlative most notable)

1. Worthy of note; remarkable; memorable; noted or distinguished.

   Synonyms: eminent, noteworthy; see also Thesaurus:notable

   Antonyms: nameless, obscure

   • c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     [...] how sayest thou, that my master is become a notable lover?

2. Easily noted (without connotations of value); clearly noticeable, conspicuous.

   Synonyms: apparent, evident; see also Thesaurus:obvious

   Antonym: subtle

   • 1623, William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona:

     A notable lubber, as thou reportest him to be.

3. That can be observed; perceptible.
   • 1989, Stanton Peele, Diseasing of America:

     Dyslexia is most notable in children who are unable to focus on their assignments.

   • 2020 June 17, David Clough, “Then and now: trains through Crewe”, in Rail, page 60:

     Another most notable change concerns rolling stock liveries. Back then, corporate Rail Blue was omnipresent, whereas now there is a kaleidoscope of colours and styles.

4. (now rare) Industrious, energetic; (specifically) (usually of a woman) capable, efficient in household management.
   • c. 1793, Edward Gibbon, Memoirs, Penguin, published 1990, page 48:

     During his residence abroad, his concerns at home were managed by his mother Hester, an active and notable woman.

   • 1863, Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, Sylvia's lovers:

     Hester looked busy and notable with her gown pinned up behind her, and her hair all tucked away under a clean linen cap; […]

5. (obsolete) Useful; profitable.
   • 1618 March 15 (Gregorian calendar), James Howell, “V. To Dr. Fr. Mansell, at All-Souls in Oxford.”, in Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ. Familiar Letters Domestic and Forren. , 3rd edition, volume I, London: Humphrey Mosley, , published 1655, →OCLC, section II, page 68:

     Your honourable Uncle Sir Robert Manſell, who is now in the Mediterranean, hath been very notable to me, and I ſhall ever acknowledge a good part of my education from him.

Antonyms

• non-notable

Derived terms

• non-notable
• notability
• unnotable

Translations

Noun

notable (plural notables)

1. A person or thing of distinction.
   • July 16 1875, Carl Schurz, letter to W. M. Grosvenor

     What we ought to have, in my opinion, is a meeting of notables—men whose names will be of weight with the country and who can be depended upon to agree to an independent course.

Related terms

• note
• of note
• noted
• noteful
• notability
• notably

Translations

Anagrams

• Labonte

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin notābilis.

Adjective

notable (epicene, plural notables)

1. notable

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin notābilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central)
• IPA^(key): (Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)

Adjective

notable m or f (masculine and feminine plural notables)

1. notable

Derived terms

• notablement

Related terms

• notar

Further reading

• “notable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “notable”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “notable” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “notable” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French notable, from Latin notābilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɔ.tabl/

Adjective

notable (plural notables)

1. notable

Derived terms

• notablement

Noun

notable m (plural notables)

1. notable

Further reading

• “notable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Galician

Alternative forms

• notábel

Etymology

From Latin notābilis.

Adjective

notable m or f (plural notables)

1. notable

Derived terms

• notablemente

Middle French

Etymology

From Latin notābilis.

Adjective

notable m or f (plural notables)

1. important; significant

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin notābilis. Cognate with English notable.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /noˈtable/

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -able
• Syllabification: no‧ta‧ble

Adjective

notable m or f (masculine and feminine plural notables, superlative notabilísimo)

1. remarkable, notable, noteworthy, noticeable, significant, marked, outstanding, striking, noted

Derived terms

Further reading

• “notable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014