nobility

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun A class of persons distinguished by high birth or rank and in Great Britain including dukes and duchesses, marquises and marchionesses, earls and countesses, viscounts and viscountesses, and barons and baronesses.
• noun Noble rank or status.
• noun The state or quality of being exalted in character.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun The character of being noble; nobleness; dignity of mind; that elevation of soul which comprehends bravery, generosity, magnanimity, intrepidity, and contempt of everything that dishonors character; loftiness of tone; greatness; grandeur.
• noun Social or political preëminence, usually accompanied by special hereditary privileges, founded on hereditary succession or descent; eminence or dignity derived by inheritance from illustrious ancestors, or specially conferred by sovereign authority.
• noun A body of persons enjoying the privileges of nobility.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• noun The quality or state of being noble; superiority of mind or of character; commanding excellence; eminence.
• noun The state of being of high rank or noble birth; patrician dignity; antiquity of family; distinction by rank, station, or title, whether inherited or conferred.
• noun Those who are noble; the collective body of nobles or titled persons in a state; the aristocratic and patrician class; the peerage.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun A noble or privileged social class, historically accompanied by a hereditary title; aristocracy.
• noun uncountable The quality of being noble.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun a privileged class holding hereditary titles
• noun the state of being of noble birth
• noun the quality of elevation of mind and exaltation of character or ideals or conduct