gentleman-farmer
Americannoun
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a man whose wealth or income from other sources permits him to farm for pleasure rather than for basic income.
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a man whose income from his farm has freed him from the necessity of physical labor.
noun
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a person who engages in farming but does not depend on it for his living
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a person who owns farmland but does not farm it personally
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of gentleman-farmer
First recorded in 1740–50
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Firmly letting it be known that President Roosevelt had not changed his mind about how much new revenue he wanted, the baldish, lanky gentleman-farmer urged revival of processing taxes to supply the $380,000,000 House deficiency.
From Time Magazine Archive
The most talked about young Tory, gentleman-farmer David Eccles, 47, after waiting nervously for a week while 32 other jobs were filled, was made Minister of Works.
From Time Magazine Archive
One-time Governor McCray, now out of the penitentiary, wishing to re-establish a reputation as a gentleman-farmer and honest man, has announced his willingness to tell everything.
From Time Magazine Archive
During his time in office, Arbenz emerged as the owner of a $3,000,000 cotton plantation; his Interior Minister turned into a gentleman-farmer with two coffee fincas; another pal acquired two mansions.
From Time Magazine Archive
You see, you must get down beneath the gentleman or would-be gentleman-farmer, down to the man who never conceived the idea of ruffling it with gentlefolk.
From The Bed-Book of Happiness by Begbie, Harold
When they come into some money, they move to Normandy and become gentlemen-farmers, foreseeing "mountains of fruit, torrents of flowers, avalanches of vegetables."
From Time Magazine Archive
"But there be four gentlemen-farmers that have come a great distance, and all the first floor is engaged; you will be more out of the noise here."
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 15, August, 1851 by Various
There were now many gentlemen-farmers who did not neglect either their work on the land or their own culture—M. and Madame Millet-Robinet might be cited as examples.
From Philip Gilbert Hamerton An Autobiography, 1834-1858, and a Memoir by His Wife, 1858-1894 by Hamerton, Philip Gilbert
There were also gentlemen-farmers, neatly, trimly, and fashionably dressed, in handsome surtouts and trousers, strapped under their boots.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 17, No. 103, May, 1866 by Various
Bruce's father had been a faithful servant to Mr Forbes's father, who held the same farm before his son, both having been what are called gentlemen-farmers.
From Alec Forbes of Howglen by MacDonald, George
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
