gentleman

American  

[jen-tl-muhn] / ˈdʒɛn tl mən /

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.

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gentleman British  

/ 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

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Related Words

See man.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of gentleman

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

Example Sentences

I would’ve preferred the gentleman at the speed dating event had likened my efforts to, at least, Morticia, a grown woman.

From Los Angeles Times

From early morning until well after the gas lamps were lit, horse-drawn carriages filled with gentlemen and ladies lined the cobblestone street in front of Barnum’s Hotel.

From Literature

But in my view, from what I hear from some of these, predominantly, gentlemen—they all say the same thing.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We want the gentleman to be brought back to Ghana, extradited to Ghana for him to face the rigours of our law."

From BBC

In Brontë’s book, Isabella marries Heathcliff naively believing he might shape up into a gentleman and flees with their son when she realizes that is out of the question.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aristocrat
• nobleman