adj · noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:ŏnʹərəbl
Received-Pronunciation:ŏnʹrəbl
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɒn.ə ɹəbl̩/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɒn.ɹəbl̩/
General-American:ŏnʹərəbl
General-American:ŏnʹrəbl
General-American:/ˈɑn.ə.ɹəbl̩/
General-American:/ˈɑn.ɹəbl̩/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AA1 N ER0 AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Behaving in a manner that shows honor; decent, having integrity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Worthy of respect; respectable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Complying with cultural rules regarding honor; not provoking shame or disgrace.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
Examples
That culture considered it no disgrace to be defeated in honorable combat.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
A courtesy title, given in Britain and the Commonwealth to a cabinet minister, minister of state, or senator, and in the United States to the president, vice president, congresspeople, state governors and legislators, and mayors.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Hon'ble, Hon.
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
A courtesy title, given in the United Kingdom to all sons and daughters of viscounts and barons and to the younger sons of earls.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Alternative letter-case form of honorable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A politician or other person who bears the title of "honorable".
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adjective
Meaning 8
not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
honest lawyers
honest reporting
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: honest
Antonyms: none provided
9
adjective
Meaning 9
worthy of being honored; entitled to honor and respect
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an honorable man
led an honorable life
honorable service to his country
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: honourable
Antonyms: dishonorable
10
adjective satellite
Meaning 10
deserving of esteem and respect
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
all respectable companies give guarantees
ruined the family's good name
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: estimable, good, respectable
Antonyms: none provided
11
adjective satellite
Meaning 11
adhering to ethical and moral principles
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
it seems ethical and right
followed the only honorable course of action
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ethical, honourable
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English honourable, from Old French honorable, honurable, from Latin honōrābilis, from honōrō (“to honour”); cognate with Italian onorabile, Spanish honorable. By surface analysis, honor + -able. In this sense, largely displaced Old English ārfæst.
Across languages
Translations
71 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
պատվարժան
(patvaržan)
— worthy of respect
Belarusian:
шляхе́тны
(šljaxjétny)
— worthy of respect
Belarusian:
паважа́ны
(pavažány)
— worthy of respect
Belarusian:
шано́ўны
(šanówny)
— worthy of respect
Belarusian:
пачэ́сны
(pačésny)
— worthy of respect
Bulgarian:
уважа́ем
(uvažáem)
— worthy of respect
Bulgarian:
достопочте́н
(dostopočtén)
— worthy of respect
Bulgarian:
почте́н
(počtén)
— worthy of respect
Catalan:
honorable
— worthy of respect
Chinese Mandarin:
可敬
(kějìng)
— worthy of respect
Czech:
ctihodný
— worthy of respect
Dutch:
eervol
— worthy of respect
Dutch:
hooggeacht
— worthy of respect
Dutch:
hoogedelgestreng
— worthy of respect
Dutch:
edelachtbaar
— worthy of respect
Esperanto:
honorinda
— worthy of respect
Finnish:
kunnioitettava
— worthy of respect
Finnish:
kunnianarvoisa
— worthy of respect
French:
honorable
— worthy of respect
Galician:
honorable
— worthy of respect
Georgian:
პატივცემული
(ṗaṭivcemuli)
— worthy of respect
German:
ehrbar
— worthy of respect
Gothic:
𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌹𐌿𐌸𐍃
(gariuþs)
— worthy of respect
Greek:
αξιότιμος
(axiótimos)
— worthy of respect
Greek:
εντιμότατος
(entimótatos)
— worthy of respect
Ancient Greek:
τίμιος
(tímios)
— worthy of respect
Hungarian:
tiszteletreméltó
— worthy of respect
Italian:
onorevole
— worthy of respect
Italian:
onorabile
— worthy of respect
Japanese:
偉い
(erai)
— worthy of respect
Japanese:
素晴らしい
(subarashii)
— worthy of respect
Japanese:
立派な
(rippa na)
— worthy of respect
Kazakh:
мәртебелі
(märtebelı)
— worthy of respect
Latin:
honōrābilis
— worthy of respect
Latin:
honestus
— worthy of respect
Malayalam:
ബഹുമാനപ്പെട്ട
(bahumānappeṭṭa)
— worthy of respect
Malayalam:
ആദരണീയനായ
(ādaraṇīyanāya)
— worthy of respect
Māori:
whakahōnore
— worthy of respect
Norwegian Bokmål:
hederlig
— worthy of respect
Norwegian Bokmål:
ærverdig
— worthy of respect
Norwegian Bokmål:
respektabel
— worthy of respect
Occitan:
onorable
— worthy of respect
Old English:
ārfæst
— worthy of respect
Polish:
czcigodny
— worthy of respect
Polish:
szanowny
— worthy of respect
Polish:
dostojny
— worthy of respect
Portuguese:
honorável
— worthy of respect
Romanian:
onorabil
— worthy of respect
Russian:
благоро́дный
(blagoródnyj)
— worthy of respect
Russian:
уважа́емый
(uvažájemyj)
— worthy of respect
Russian:
почте́нный
(počténnyj)
— worthy of respect
Russian:
почётный
(počótnyj)
— worthy of respect
Sanskrit:
प्रमुख
(pramukha)
— worthy of respect
Scottish Gaelic:
onarach
— worthy of respect
Spanish:
honorable
— worthy of respect
Spanish:
honroso
— worthy of respect
Spanish:
honrado
— worthy of respect
Spanish:
honrable (disused)
— worthy of respect
Swedish:
hedervärd
— worthy of respect
Swedish:
ärevördig
— worthy of respect
Tagalog:
kagalang-galang
— worthy of respect
Telugu:
గౌరవనీయ
(gauravanīya)
— worthy of respect
Turkish:
saygıdeğer
— worthy of respect
Ukrainian:
благоро́дний
(blahoródnyj)
— worthy of respect
Ukrainian:
шляхе́тний
(šljaxétnyj)
— worthy of respect
Ukrainian:
поважа́ний
(považányj)
— worthy of respect
Ukrainian:
шано́ваний
(šanóvanyj)
— worthy of respect
Ukrainian:
поче́сний
(počésnyj)
— worthy of respect
Ukrainian:
пошти́вий
(poštývyj)
— worthy of respect
Ukrainian:
шано́вний
(šanóvnyj)
— worthy of respect
