What does honourable mean?
Honourable means worthy of respect, trust, and admiration, particularly because someone has shown integrity, fairness, or admirable conduct. It can also describe an official distinction or recognition, as in "an honourable mention" or "an honourable discharge" from military service. The word is especially common in formal British English; the standard American spelling is "honorable." Although its central meaning concerns moral character, honourable is not always simply a stronger form of "good." It often implies that a person or action deserves public respect and can be regarded with confidence. In everyday use, it may sound formal, ceremonial, or old-fashioned, but it remains useful when describing integrity, ethical conduct, and recognition that carries weight.
adjectiveDeserving of respect, admiration, or honour, especially because of moral integrity or admirable conduct. It can also mean worthy of a formal distinction or recognition.
- Deserving of respect, admiration, or trust, especially because of good character or admirable conduct.
- Morally upright, ethical, and guided by a sense of principle.
- Conferring or worthy of formal recognition, distinction, or praise.
"The judge was widely respected for his honourable commitment to fairness."
"Her honourable service to the community was recognized with a formal citation."
"The proposal was rejected on the grounds that it would not be honourable to falsify the research data."
One word can carry both moral approval and official recognition: an honourable person inspires trust, while an honourable award signals distinction.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does honourable come from?
Honourable developed in Middle English from the Old French word "honour," meaning esteem, respect, or reputation, which was borrowed from Latin "honor." The adjective was formed with the suffix "-able," expressing the idea of being worthy of honour. The same Latin root underlies related English words such as honour, honor, honorable, and honorary, while the spelling difference between the British and American forms reflects later standardization.
Related word forms
How honourable is actually used
In contemporary British English, "honourable" is often formal and may suggest either personal integrity or official recognition. American English generally uses "honorable." In expressions such as "honourable mention," the word indicates praise or distinction rather than the highest award.
Easily confused with honourable
"Honourable" is the usual British spelling, while "honorable" is the usual American spelling; the meanings are essentially the same.