gentleman
Americannoun
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gentlemen
plural
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a man of good family, breeding, or social position.
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(used as a polite term) a man.
Do you know that gentleman over there?
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gentlemen, (used as a form of address).
Gentlemen, please come this way.
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a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered man.
He behaved like a true gentleman.
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a male personal servant, especially of a man of social position; valet.
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a male attendant upon a king, queen, or other royal person, who is himself of high birth or rank.
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a man of good social standing, as a noble or an armigerous commoner.
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a man with an independent income who does not work for a living.
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a male member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives.
The chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
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History/Historical. a man who is above the rank of yeoman.
noun
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a man regarded as having qualities of refinement associated with a good family
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a man who is cultured, courteous, and well-educated
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a polite name for a man
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the personal servant of a gentleman (esp in the phrase gentleman's gentleman )
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history a man of gentle birth, who was entitled to bear arms, ranking above a yeoman in social position
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(formerly) a smuggler
Synonym Usage
See man.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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gentlemanlinessnoun
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undergentlemannoun
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gentlemanlikeadjective
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gentlemanlyadjective
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ungentlemanlikeadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of gentleman
Middle English word dating back to 1225–75; see origin at gentle, man
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.
See Examples For:
He was a sharpshooter, a man’s man, and a true gentleman.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Initially introduced as an invisible scene partner for Meyers to scream-drawl at during his cornpone impersonations of the Republican gentleman from South Carolina, Mee-Maw evolved into a Southern gothic performance piece.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
But the rewards for those who persevere are as rich as the imperial economy that once furnished bountiful goods to the Romano-British gentleman.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Another gentleman who responds to my post notes we have a mutual social media friend and asks whether I'm near Telford.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
The gentleman who stepped off the plane was in his sixties, with a pink face.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
“I have visions of older gentlemen going out at night and doing it in balaclavas and golf jumpers,” said Susan Oliver, who runs SO & Co., a fashion accessories and gift store in town.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Jewish by birth, Disraeli was a departure from the aristocrats and country gentlemen whose party he refashioned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Erling Haaland and SoFi Stadium, ladies and gentlemen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026
"I just wanted to tell this story because, ladies and gentlemen of the American media, this is important," Rutte told journalists in the Oval Office as Trump looked on approvingly.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
“Now return it to its owner before one of these lazy gentlemen calls you a thief.”
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
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.
