Nubility
/ˈnjuː.bɪ.lɪ.ti/noun
The state or quality of being marriageable, especially of a woman.
Did you know?Nubility comes from Latin nuptiae, the word for marriage, ultimately tied to the same root behind “nuptial,” so the idea of “marriageability” was once treated almost like a formal social designation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*neu̯-
“to bind, tie, or make fast”
Latin
Latin
nubere
“to marry; literally, to veil oneself for marriage”
Latin
Latin
nubilis
“marriageable; fit for marriage”
Late Latin
Latin
nubilitās
“marriageability”
Middle English
English
nubility
“marriageability, especially in women”
Modern English
English
nubility
“the state of being marriageable”