gentleman

noun

gen·​tle·​man ˈjen-tᵊl-mən How to pronounce gentleman (audio)
ˈje-nᵊl-,
 in rapid speech also  ˈjen-tə-mən,
ˈje-nə-
often attributive
1
a
: a man of noble or gentle (see gentle entry 1 sense 4a) birth
b
: a man belonging to the landed gentry
c(1)
: a man who combines gentle (see gentle entry 1 sense 4a) birth or rank with chivalrous qualities
(2)
: a man whose conduct conforms to a high standard of propriety or correct behavior
d(1)
: a man of independent means who does not engage in any occupation or profession for gain
(2)
: a man who does not engage in a menial occupation or in manual labor for gain
2
: valet sense 1b
often used in the phrase gentleman's gentleman
3
: a man of any social class or condition
often used in a courteous reference
show this gentleman to a seat
or usually in the plural in address
ladies and gentlemen
gentlemanlike adjective
gentlemanlikeness noun

Examples of gentleman in a Sentence

A true gentleman would never engage in such behavior. He's a gentleman by birth.
Recent Examples on the Web That’s from the lyrics of The Fall Guy, the 1980s TV series that featured Lee Majors as Colt Seavers, a gentleman who crashed Porsches for the cameras by day and collected bounties on criminals in his off hours. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Fortunately, a gentleman standing directly in front of the couple had the answer. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Not to mention the gentleman’s hat in the back left is gibberish. Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024 Once a distinguished gentleman’s bar until the 1990s, The Chinnery exudes an air of timeless elegance, with interiors meticulously preserved to evoke the ambiance of its heyday. Kissa Castañeda, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Nick, the Southern gentleman, is determined to enjoy the Vineyard, but questions arise about his loyalty and affectionate nature with the ladies. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 21 Feb. 2024 Among the rough Suicide Men, Mandarina is a gentleman, nicely turned out — jeans, a shirt, white sneakers (the nickname comes from a childhood job of selling the fruit on the street). Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 This drew him into an obsession that, unlike most gentlemen who make a fortune in private equity, may have implications far beyond the walls of his own wine cellar. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024 Most of our black-bearded, balding gentlemen sat upright on couches, their guts sucked in, their mustaches twisted from unconscious twirling. Jamil Jan Kochai, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gentleman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gentilman

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gentleman was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near gentleman

Cite this Entry

“Gentleman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentleman. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gentleman

noun
gen·​tle·​man ˈjen(t)-ᵊl-mən How to pronounce gentleman (audio)
1
: a man of good birth and position
2
: a man of good education and social position
3
: a male with very good manners
reminded her young son to be a gentleman
4
: man
I can help this gentleman
ladies and gentlemen
gentlemanliness
-lē-nəs
noun
gentlemanly
-lē
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on gentleman

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