genteel
Americanadjective
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belonging or suited to polite society.
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well-bred or refined; polite; elegant; stylish.
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affectedly or pretentiously polite, delicate, etc.
adjective
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affectedly proper or refined; excessively polite
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respectable, polite, and well-bred
a genteel old lady
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appropriate to polite or fashionable society
genteel behaviour
Other Word Forms
- genteelly adverb
- genteelness noun
- pseudogenteel adjective
- quasi-genteel adjective
- quasi-genteelly adverb
- ungenteel adjective
Etymology
Origin of genteel
1590–1600; < French gentil; gentle
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.
This is simply Sheridan’s pitch for escaping New York, but in a genteel manner.
From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026
Teacher and performer, he revealed the works of Nature to a genteel audience amid the sensory manipulations of the theater.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026
The spat led to fears that curling was losing its once genteel image and the Canadians faced criticism in their own national media.
From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026
Pilates, which combines stretching and body weight conditioning exercises, has, for some, a fusty image - a gentle and genteel workout for those of advancing years.
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026
My job is not, however, as genteel as it at first appears, thanks to the sheer volume of clothing in motion.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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.
