View synonyms for gentility

gentility

[ jen-til-i-tee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

good breeding or refinement.
Synonyms: propriety, decorum, grace, polish
affected or pretentious politeness or elegance.
the status of belonging to polite society.
members of polite society collectively.

gentility

/ dʒɛnˈtɪlɪtɪ /

noun

respectability and polite good breeding
affected politeness
noble birth or ancestry
people of noble birth

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Other Words From

ungen·tili·ty noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of gentility¹

1300–50; Middle English < Old French gentilite < Latin gentīlitāt- (stem of gentīlitās ), equivalent to gentīl ( is ) ( gentle ) + -itāt- -ity

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Word History and Origins

Origin of gentility¹

C14: from Old French gentilite, from Latin gentīlitās relationship of those belonging to the same tribe or family; see gens

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Example Sentences

Packaging these rebuffs with gentility and kindness may or may not succeed.

From The Daily Beast

Today: Germans on socialism, Russians on gentility, and gay men on the British royals.

From The Daily Beast

As well twenty times—keep it for yourself, or give it to my valet, if you are too proud of your gentility.

From Project Gutenberg

I knew that the gentility of the knock had taken both her and her mother aback.

From Project Gutenberg

In the mean time it was necessary to sacrifice something to gentility, and therefore they sat over their port wine.

From Project Gutenberg

Descending in the scale of what is termed gentility, I found darker and deeper themes for speculation.

From Project Gutenberg

He is the idol of equivocal women, and condescends to patronize unpresentable gentility-mongers.

From Project Gutenberg

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gentilism gentisate

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