adjective
- of low character, aims, etc.; mean; base: his ignoble purposes.
- of low grade or quality; inferior.
- not noble; of humble descent or rank.
- Falconry. noting any hawk with short wings that chases or rakes after the quarry.
adjective
- dishonourable; base; despicable
- of low birth or origins; humble; common
- of low quality; inferior
- falconry
- designating short-winged hawks that capture their quarry by swiftness and adroitness of flightCompare noble (def. 7)
- designating quarry which is inferior or unworthy of pursuit by a particular species of hawk or falcon
mid-15c., “of low birth,” from Middle French ignoble, from Latin ignobilis “unknown, undistinguished, obscure; of base birth, not noble,” from assimilated form of in- “not, opposite of” (see in- (1)) + gnobilis “well-known, famous, renowned, of superior birth” (see noble). Related: Ignobly.