honorable

== English == === Alternative forms === honble (obsolete) Honorable (honorific) (British spelling:) honourable, Honourable (honorific) === Etymology === From Middle English honourable, from Old French honorable, honurable, from Latin honōrābilis, from honōrō (“I honour”); cognate with Italian onorabile, Spanish honorable. By surface analysis, honor +‎ -able. In this sense, largely displaced Old English ārfæst. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ŏnʹərəbl, ŏnʹrəbl, IPA(key): /ˈɒnəɹəbl̩/, /ˈɒnɹəbl̩/ (General American) enPR: ŏnʹərəbl, ŏnʹrəbl, IPA(key): /ˈɑnəɹəbl̩/, /ˈɑnɹəbl̩/ Hyphenation: hon‧or‧able, honor‧able === Adjective === honorable (comparative more honorable, superlative most honorable) (American spelling) Behaving in a manner that shows honor; decent, having integrity. Worthy of respect; respectable. Synonyms: noble, venerable Antonyms: contemptible, despicable, mean Complying with cultural rules regarding honor; not provoking shame or disgrace. (politics) 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. Synonyms: (abbreviation) Hon'ble, (abbreviation) Hon. ==== Usage notes ==== Historically used in the United States (early 1900s) in mockery of Japanese and Chinese people (or honorable Japs). ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === honorable (plural honorables) A politician or other person who bears the title of "honorable". == Catalan == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin honōrābilis. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central) [u.nuˈɾab.blə] IPA(key): (Balearic) [o.noˈɾab.blə] IPA(key): (Valencia) [o.noˈɾa.ble] === Adjective === honorable m or f (masculine and feminine plural honorables) honorable ==== Derived terms ==== honorablement === Further reading === “honorable”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 “honorable”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 “honorable” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. “honorable” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962. == French == === Etymology === Inherited from Old French honorable, honurable, borrowed from Latin honōrābilis. === Pronunciation === (mute h) IPA(key): /ɔ.nɔ.ʁabl/ === Adjective === honorable (plural honorables) honorable ==== Derived terms ==== faire amende honorable hon. très honorable ==== Related terms ==== honneur === Further reading === “honorable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Galician == === Alternative forms === honorábel === Etymology === From Latin honōrābilis. === Adjective === honorable m or f (plural honorables) honorable ==== Related terms ==== honor honra === Further reading === “honorable”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026 == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from Latin honōrābilis. Equivalent to honor +‎ -able. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /onoˈɾable/ [o.noˈɾa.β̞le] Rhymes: -able Syllabification: ho‧no‧ra‧ble === Adjective === honorable m or f (masculine and feminine plural honorables) honorable Synonyms: honrado, honesto ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “honorable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025