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gentility

 - 2 dictionary results

gen⋅til⋅i⋅ty

  [jen-til-i-tee]
Use gentility in a Sentence
–noun
1. good breeding or refinement.
2. affected or pretentious politeness or elegance.
3. the status of belonging to polite society.
4. members of polite society collectively.
Origin:
1300–50; ME < OF gentilite < L gentīlitāt- (s. of gentīlitās), equiv. to gentīl(is) (see gentle ) + -itāt- -ity

Synonyms:
1. polish, grace, decorum, propriety.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To gentility
gen·til·i·ty   (jěn-tĭl'ĭ-tē)   
n.  

  1. The quality of being well-mannered; refinement.

  2. The condition of being born to the gentry.

  3. Persons of high social standing considered as a group.

  4. An attempt to convey or maintain the appearance of refinement and elegance.


[Middle English gentilete, nobility of birth, from Old French, from Latin gentīlitās, from gentīlis, of the same clan; see gentle.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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