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gentlewoman

American  
[jen-tl-woom-uhn] / ˈdʒɛn tlˌwʊm ən /

noun

plural

gentlewomen

  1. a woman of good family, breeding, or social position

  2. a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered woman; lady.

  3. a woman who attends upon a lady of rank.

  4. a female member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives.

    The chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maine.
gentlewoman British  
/ ˈdʒɛntəlˌwʊmən /

noun

  1. archaic a woman regarded as being of good family or breeding; lady

  2. rare a woman who is cultured, courteous, and well-educated

  3. history a woman in personal attendance on a high-ranking lady

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • gentlewomanliness noun
  • gentlewomanly adjective

Etymology

Origin of gentlewoman

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; gentle, woman

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Portrait of a Court Lady,” acquired in 2013, shows the nearly life-size image of a refined gentlewoman seated on a garden terrace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

"Because being a polite gentleman or gentlewoman is all about first impressions," she said.

From BBC • Nov. 10, 2025

One of his stories is about a Southern gentlewoman who keeps her dead fiance’s corpse in her bed.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2023

Schiff shot back, “As the gentlewoman should know, if she was present for the depositions — ”

From Washington Post • Nov. 15, 2019

“Oh, Sir Lancelot, Sir Lancelot!” cried an unknown gentlewoman, riding toward him at full speed and evidently trying to wring her hands in spite of the reins.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.