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)

Worthy of note; remarkable; memorable; noted or distinguished. [from 14th c.]
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[ward] 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?
Easily noted (without connotations of value); clearly noticeable, conspicuous. [from 14th c.]
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.
That can be observed; perceptible. [from 14th c.]
- 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.
(now rare) Industrious, energetic; (specifically) (usually of a woman) capable, efficient in household management. [from 17th c.]
- 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; […]
(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 Mos[e]ley, […], 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

Translations

worthy of notice; remarkable

Albanian: i shquar (sq), e shquar (sq)
Asturian: notable
Bulgarian: забележителен (bg) (zabeležitelen)
Catalan: notable (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 著名的
Dutch: opmerkelijk (nl), bemerkenswaardig
Finnish: huomionarvoinen, merkittävä (fi)
French: remarquable (fr), notable (fr)
Galician: notable (gl)
German: bemerkenswert (de)
Greek: αξιοσημείωτος (el) (axiosimeíotos), ξεχωριστός (el) (xechoristós)
Ancient: ἀξιόλογος (axiólogos)
Indonesian: terkenal (id)
Italian: notevole (it), importante (it), rilevante (it), significativo (it)
Japanese: 顕著な (けんちょな, kenchona)
Latin: notābilis, spectabilis
Latvian: redzams, ievērojams
Malayalam: ശ്രദ്ധേയമായ (śraddhēyamāya)
Maori: taiea
Portuguese: notável (pt)
Romanian: notabil (ro), remarcabil (ro)
Spanish: notable (es), destacable
Swedish: anmärkningsvärd (sv), framstående (sv), betydande (sv), märklig (sv)

capable of being noted; noticeable

Bulgarian: забележим (bg) (zabeležim)
Dutch: waarneembaar (nl)
Indonesian: termasyhur (id)
Italian: notabile (it)
Latin: spectabilis
Mandarin: 值得注意的
Maori: taiea, taumata rau (of a person), hira

Noun

notable (plural notables)

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.