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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of gentleman¹

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

Synonym Study

See man.

Example Sentences

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are bringing to you the most important story of this century.”

Read more on Literature

He’s such a soft-spoken gentleman but he also has this hilarious, brutal honesty about him, which was always really great.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"He was just a really nice old gentleman and a really good piano player," she said.

Read more on BBC

Every night, the gentlemen suit up and the ladies don their finery, although nothing is as fancy as when the family hosts balls or extremely fancy dinners for special guests.

Read more on Salon

But the gentleman farmer couldn’t stay down on the farm for long.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aristocrat 
• nobleman