ignoble
vile, despicable
adjective ee-NOBL Rare
Origin: Latin ignobilis ('of low birth, dishonourable')
Usage Note
Ignoble is stronger than honteux or méprisable — it conveys moral baseness or utter contempt. It is invariable in gender in writing (un acte ignoble, une conduite ignoble). Overuse weakens it; save it for genuinely outrageous acts.
Examples
"C'était un acte ignoble et lâche."
Natural Translation
It was a vile and cowardly act.
Related Words
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