I.that can be known or is known, knowable, known.
I. In gen. (very rare): “neque his umquam nobilis fui,” Plaut. Ps. 4, 7, 9: “addidit facinori fidem nobili gaudio,” Tac. H. 3, 39.—
II. In partic.
A. Wellknown, famous, noted, celebrated, renowned (freq. and class.; cf.: “clarus, insignis, inclutus, illustris): die festo celebri nobilique, Aphrodisiis,” Plaut. Poen. 3, 5, 13: “magnus et nobilis rhetor Isocrates,” Cic. Inv. 2, 2, 7: “illustre et nobile municipium,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 16, § 40: “oppidum clarum et nobile,” id. ib. 2, 1, 24, § “63: ex doctrinā nobilis et clarus,” id. Rab. Post. 9, 23: “gladiatorum par nobilissimum,” id. Opt. Gen. 6, 17: “multi in philosophiā praeclari et nobiles,” id. de Or. 1, 11, 46: “ut arcendis sceleribus exemplum nobile esset,” Liv. 2, 5: “Corinthus aere,” Ov. M. 6, 416: “puerosque Ledae, Hunc equis, illum superare pugnis Nobilem,” Hor. C. 1, 12, 25: “palma nobilis,” id. ib. 1, 1, 5: “nobilis e tectis fundere gaesa rotis,” Prop. 4 (5), 10, 42. “tamquam Feceris ipse aliquid propter quod nobilis esses,” Juv. 8, 41: aquae salubritate et medendis corporibus nobiles. Vell. 2, 25, 4: “vitulis marinis ad multa nobile fel,” Plin. 11, 37, 75, § 195: “emplastra nobilia ad extrahendum fel,” Cels. 5, 19: “Cicero vir nobilissimae novitatis,” Vell. 2, 34, 3.—In a bad sense, notorious: “innocentes qui se scelere fieri nolunt nobiles,” Plaut. Rud. 3, 2, 5: “mea (amica) est potens, procax, magnifica, sumtuosa, nobilis,” Ter. Heaut. 2, 1, 15: “ille nobilis taurus, quem Phalaris habuisse dicitur,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 33, § 73; Liv. 39, 9, 5.—
B. High-born, of noble birth, noble, i. e. sprung from a family (either patrician or plebeian) many members of which had filled curule offices, and consequently possessing the jus imaginum (opp. homo novus or ignobilis; cf.: “generosus, amplus): non facit nobilem atrium plenum fumosis imaginibus,” Sen. Ep. 44, 5: “quanta sit in invidiā apud quosdam nobilis homines novorum hominum virtus et industria,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 71, § 181: “Clodia mulier non solum nobilis sed etiam nota,” id. Cael. 13, 31: “nobili genere nati,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 180: “homines apud nos noti, inter suos nobiles,” id. Fl. 22, 52; Liv. 22, 58.—Hence, subst.: nōbĭlis , is, m., a nobleman: “nobiles nostri,” Plin. Ep. 5, 17, 5; Vulg. Isa. 5, 13; id. Psa. 149, 8: Nobilissimus, most noble, under the later emperors, a title of the Cæsars and of the members of the imperial family, Cod. Th. 10, 25, 1; Dig. 40, 11, 3.—
C. Of a noble kind, noble, excellent, superior: “tres nobilissimi fundi,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 35, 99: “nobiliumque greges custos servabat equarum,” Ov. M. 2, 690: “nobilis hic (equus), quocumque venit de gramine,” Juv. 8, 60.—Hence, adv.: nōbĭlĭter , famously, excellently, splendidly, nobly (mostly post-Aug.; “not in Cic. or Cæs.),” Vitr. 7 praef.: “nobiliter caelare argentum,” Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 91.—Comp.: “nobilius philosophari,” Sid. Ep. 9, 9.—Sup.: “ab exercitu nobilissime tumulatus,” Liv. Epit. 54.