gentility

[ jen-til-i-tee ]

noun

1. good breeding or refinement.

   Synonyms: propriety, decorum, grace, polish

2. affected or pretentious politeness or elegance.
3. the status of belonging to polite society.
4. members of polite society collectively.

gentility

/ dʒɛnˈtɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. respectability and polite good breeding
2. affected politeness
3. noble birth or ancestry
4. people of noble birth

Other Words From

• ungen·tili·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentility¹

1300–50; Middle English < Old French gentilite < Latin gentīlitāt- (stem of gentīlitās ), equivalent to gentīl ( is ) ( gentle ) + -itāt- -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentility¹

C14: from Old French gentilite, from Latin gentīlitās relationship of those belonging to the same tribe or family; see gens

Example Sentences

Packaging these rebuffs with gentility and kindness may or may not succeed.

From The Daily Beast

Today: Germans on socialism, Russians on gentility, and gay men on the British royals.

From The Daily Beast

As well twenty times—keep it for yourself, or give it to my valet, if you are too proud of your gentility.

From Project Gutenberg

I knew that the gentility of the knock had taken both her and her mother aback.

From Project Gutenberg

In the mean time it was necessary to sacrifice something to gentility, and therefore they sat over their port wine.

From Project Gutenberg

Descending in the scale of what is termed gentility, I found darker and deeper themes for speculation.

From Project Gutenberg

He is the idol of equivocal women, and condescends to patronize unpresentable gentility-mongers.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aristocracy
• civility
• decorum
• elegance
• politeness
• propriety
• respectability