Noblesse Oblige

Noblesse oblige is a French phrase literally meaning "nobility obliges".

The Dictionnaire de l’Académie française defines it thus:

  1. Whoever claims to be noble must conduct himself nobly.
  2. (Figuratively) One must act in a fashion that conforms to one's position, and with the reputation that one has earned.

The Oxford English Dictionary says that the term "suggests noble ancestry constrains to honorable behavior; privilege entails to responsibility." Being a noble meant that one had responsibilities to lead, manage and so on. One was not to simply spend one's time in idle pursuits.

Read more about Noblesse ObligeMeaning and Variants, History and Examples

Famous quotes containing the words Noblesse Oblige:

    Therefore it was surprising that, as we kept the newspapers from
    Mother,
    She died feeling responsible for a disaster unverified,
    Murmuring, in her sleep as it seemed, the ancient slogan
    Noblesse oblige.
    Josephine Miles (1911–1985)