gentleman friend

noun

Older Use.

1. a man with whom a woman is romantically involved; suitor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentleman friend¹

An Americanism dating back to 1820–30

Example Sentences

In the 1700s, Lord Chesterfield wrote about a “gentleman” friend who read the Latin poets “in the necessary-house,” Alford notes.

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“A gentleman friend thought I should learn it, so he and another friend of his gave me a lesson. I don’t know what I learned. Probably nothing. In my humble opinion, a phone is just to make a call or receive a call.”

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I wanted these things from my gentleman friend, but I didn’t need them.

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After my gentleman friend and I ate and didn’t get food poisoning, we went back to his house.

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And he called himself my “gentleman friend.”

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Related Words

• boyfriend 
• lover 
• paramour 
• suitor 
• sweetheart