nubile

English

Etymology

From French nubile, from Latin nubilis (“marriageable”), from nūbō (“marry, to take as husband”), from Proto-Indo-European *snewbʰ- (“to marry, to wed”). Possibly cognate with Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē, “bride, young wife, nymph”) (English nymph), but this is disputed.

Pronunciation

Adjective

nubile (comparative more nubile, superlative most nubile)

  1. Of an age suitable for marriage; marriageable (principally of a young woman).
  2. Sexually attractive (especially of a young woman).

Usage notes

For a man, especially a young man, eligible is sometimes used as the corresponding term in the sense ‘marriageable’, particularly in the phrase eligible bachelor.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

nubile (plural nubiles)

  1. A young sexually attractive woman.

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From Latin nubilis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ny.bil/

Adjective

nubile (plural nubiles)

  1. nubile

Further reading

Italian

Etymology

From Latin nubilis.

Adjective

nubile (masculine and feminine plural nubili)

  1. unmarried

Noun

nubile f (plural nubili)

  1. unmarried woman
  2. spinster

See also

Latin

Adjective

nūbile

  1. vocative masculine singular of nūbilus
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