gentleman

[jen-tl-muhn]

noun

plural

gentlemen 

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

2. (used as a polite term) a man.

   Do you know that gentleman over there?

3. gentlemen, (used as a form of address).

   Gentlemen, please come this way.

4. a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered man.

   He behaved like a true gentleman.

5. a male personal servant, especially of a man of social position; valet.

6. a male attendant upon a king, queen, or other royal person, who is himself of high birth or rank.

7. a man of good social standing, as a noble or an armigerous commoner.

8. a man with an independent income who does not work for a living.

9. a male member of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives.

   The chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.

10. History/Historical.,  a man who is above the rank of yeoman.

gentleman

/ ˈdʒɛntəlmən /

noun

1. a man regarded as having qualities of refinement associated with a good family

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

3. a polite name for a man

4. the personal servant of a gentleman (esp in the phrase gentleman's gentleman )

5. history a man of gentle birth, who was entitled to bear arms, ranking above a yeoman in social position

6. (formerly) a smuggler

Other Word Forms

• gentlemanly adjective
• gentlemanliness noun
• gentlemanlike adjective
• undergentleman noun
• ungentlemanlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentleman¹

Middle English word dating back to 1225–75; gentle, man

Synonym Study

See man.

Example Sentences

“In Japan, fountain pens are geared toward older gentlemen,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s an elderly gentleman named George who has been stopping by the funeral home on occasion to talk about anything from the weather to the most recent details of his grief work.

From Salon

"I heard a voice beside me, there was a gentleman to my right lying on the road, he said: 'I am hit son, I am hit'."

From BBC

The once-proud Highland gentleman whose room it was had been served his breakfast and had spent hours sitting alone in there.

From BBC

Below the cliff where Arisu and this gentleman converse lies a vast body of churning water with a foreboding whirlpool at its heart.

From Salon

Related Words

• aristocrat 
• nobleman