nubile

English

Etymology

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

Adjective

nubile (comparative more nubile, superlative most nubile)

1. of an age suitable for marriage; marriageable (used of a young woman).
2. sexually attractive (used of a young woman).

Usage notes

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

Derived terms

• nubility

Related terms

• connubial
• nuptial, nuptials

Translations

marriageable

• Dutch: huwbaar
• Finnish: avioliittokelpoinen, naimakelpoinen

• French: nubile (fr)
• Manx: yn-phoosey (gv)

Noun

nubile (plural nubiles)

1. A young sexually-attractive woman

Anagrams

• beluin

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French

Etymology

From Latin nubilis.

Adjective

nubile (masculine and feminine, plural nubiles)

1. nubile

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Italian

Etymology

From Latin nubilis.

Adjective

nubile m and f (m and f plural nubili)

1. unmarried

Noun

nubile f (plural nubili)

1. unmarried woman
2. spinster

Related terms

• nubilato

See also

• celibe

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Latin

Adjective

nūbile

1. vocative masculine singular of nūbilus