gentle

[jen-tl]

adjective

gentler, gentlest 

1. kindly; amiable.

   a gentle manner.

   Synonyms: merciful, lenient, humane, tender, soothing, pacific, peaceful, clement
   Antonyms: cruel, harsh

2. not severe, rough, or violent; mild.

   a gentle wind;

   a gentle tap on the shoulder.

   Antonyms: sudden, violent

3. moderate.

   gentle heat.

   Synonyms: temperate

4. gradual.

   a gentle slope.

5. of good birth or family; wellborn.

   Synonyms: noble

6. characteristic of good birth; honorable; respectable.

   a gentle upbringing.

7. easily handled or managed; tractable.

   a gentle animal.

   Synonyms: tame, docile, manageable
   Antonyms: unruly, wild

8. soft or low.

   a gentle sound.

9. polite; refined.

   Consider, gentle reader, my terrible predicament at this juncture.

   Synonyms: polished, courteous

10. entitled to a coat of arms; armigerous.

11. Archaic.,  noble; chivalrous.

    a gentle knight.

verb (used with object)

gentled, gentling 

1. to tame; render tractable.

2. to mollify; calm; pacify.

3. to make gentle.

4. to stroke; soothe by petting.

5. to ennoble; dignify.

gentle

/ ˈdʒɛntəl /

adjective

1. having a mild or kindly nature or character

2. soft or temperate; mild; moderate

   a gentle scolding

3. gradual

   a gentle slope

4. easily controlled; tame

   a gentle horse

5. archaic,  of good breeding; noble

   gentle blood

6. archaic,  gallant; chivalrous

verb

1. to tame or subdue (a horse)

2. to appease or mollify

3. obsolete,  to ennoble or dignify

noun

1. a maggot, esp when used as bait in fishing

2. archaic,  a person who is of good breeding

Other Word Forms

• gentleness noun
• gently adverb
• overgentle adjective
• ungentle adjective
• ungentleness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentle¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English gentle, gentil(e), from Old French gentil “highborn, noble,” from Latin gentīlis “belonging to the same family,” equivalent to gent- (stem of gēns ) gens + -īlis -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentle¹

C13: from Old French gentil noble, from Latin gentīlis belonging to the same family; see _gens

Synonym Study

Gentle, meek, mild refer to an absence of bad temper or belligerence. Gentle has reference especially to disposition and behavior, and often suggests a deliberate or voluntary kindness or forbearance in dealing with others: a gentle pat; gentle with children. Meek implies a submissive spirit, and may even indicate undue submission in the face of insult or injustice: meek and even servile or weak. Mild suggests absence of harshness or severity, rather because of natural character or temperament than conscious choice: a mild rebuke; a mild manner.

Example Sentences

The Restore 3 is a sleeper’s Swiss Army knife, with a variety of white noise and other ambient sounds, along with gentle lighting to ease you into—and out of—your bed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Because the interaction is gentle and reversible, the sensor highlights the affected region while leaving the cell's repair work untouched.

Read more on Science Daily

The internet wasn’t a huge job killer overall, but for some occupations, it wasn’t a gentle decline—it was a cliff.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens in Washington state and Quizapu in Chile, have occasionally released slow, gentle lava flows even when their magma was rich in gas and considered highly explosive.

Read more on Science Daily

With his wiry frame and shy eyes, the British actor has demonstrated in films such as “La Chimera” and “The Mastermind” an appetite for soft-spoken characters who exude a gentle masculinity.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• calm 
• delicate 
• mellow 
• mild 
• moderate 
• muted 
• placid 
• quiet 
• serene 
• slight 
• slow 
• smooth 
• soft 
• soothing 
• subdued 
• tender 
• tranquil