gentlemen's agreement

American  

Or gentleman's agreement

noun

1. an agreement that, although unenforceable at law, is binding as a matter of personal honor.

2. an unwritten agreement by a socially prominent clique, private club, etc., to discriminate against or refuse to accept members of certain religious, racial, national, or other groups.

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gentlemen's agreement British  

noun

1. a personal understanding or arrangement based on honour and not legally binding

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Etymology

Origin of gentlemen's agreement

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gentlemen's agreement

In 2022, Switzerland's federal criminal court in Bellinzona cleared the two after accepting their account of a "gentlemen's agreement" for the payment.

From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2025

“We made a gentlemen’s agreement that we’ll play and then we’ll figure it out,” Olivas said.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 30, 2021

According to Stone and Borman, by the end of a long weekend, they reached a gentlemen’s agreement: Stone would option the novel — if Kucherena could provide regular access to his client.

From New York Times ● Aug. 30, 2016

He described a gentlemen’s agreement of sorts between Krahun and North Korean officials.

From Slate ● Nov. 7, 2013

These preparations, he knew, could not be making for the same reason as in the years before the "gentlemen's agreement" between the Republican and the Democratic machines.

From The Conflict by Phillips, David Graham