gentlemen's agreement

American  

Or gentleman's agreement

noun

1. an agreement that, although unenforceable at law, is binding as a matter of personal honor.

2. an unwritten agreement by a socially prominent clique, private club, etc., to discriminate against or refuse to accept members of certain religious, racial, national, or other groups.

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gentlemen's agreement British  

noun

1. a personal understanding or arrangement based on honour and not legally binding

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Etymology

Origin of gentlemen's agreement

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

Leverkusen had a gentlemen's agreement with Alonso by which he could leave if one of this former clubs came calling, a door open to Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real.

From BBC • May 12, 2025

Oxfam similarly criticized an “old gentlemen’s agreement of World Bank and IMF appointments,” saying it should have been a more transparent and merit-based global process.

From Washington Post • Feb. 23, 2023

They’re in a written gentlemen’s agreement, somewhere, that Punchbowl News devilishly described as the “secret three-page addendum.”

From Slate • Jan. 9, 2023

“We made a gentlemen’s agreement that we’ll play and then we’ll figure it out,” Olivas said.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 30, 2021

“That’s all right,” returned Bunker, “we’ve got a gentlemen’s agreement to respect each others monuments; and you’ll find our sworn statements that the work has been done on file with the County Recorder.”

From Silver and Gold A Story of Luck and Love in a Western Mining Camp by Coolidge, Dane