gentlefolk

or gen·tle·folks

[ jen-tl-fohk ]

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. persons of good family and breeding.

gentlefolk

/ ˈdʒɛntəlˌfəʊk /

plural noun

1. persons regarded as being of good breeding

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentlefolk¹

First recorded in 1585–95; gentle + folk

Example Sentences

To the delight of the world's easily scandalized gentlefolk, "Bridgerton" and "Sanditon" returned for their respective second seasons with less sex and more balls, the kind that involves dancing.

From Salon

I thought, you could hang all these other aspects on that in a fun way,” said Coppola, thinking of screwball comedies and the “Thin Man” gentlefolk mysteries.

From Los Angeles Times

It can feel almost cruel to watch Chekhov’s great late plays from the smug vantage point of the present: we can see, all too clearly, the future that awaits his bewildered Russian gentlefolk.

From The New Yorker

It’s for everyone who, like me, has found themselves in Anne Elliot’s predicament at the start of “Persuasion” — for us gentlefolk who have lost their natural “bloom” and would kindly like it back.

From Washington Post

When I arrived in the courtyard, a large and varied crowd of gentlefolk, servants, and shopkeepers was already waiting for the king.

From Literature

Related Words

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