gentility

noun

gen·​til·​i·​ty jen-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce gentility (audio)
plural gentilities
1
a
: the condition of belonging to the gentry
2
a(1)
: decorum of conduct : courtesy
(2)
: attitudes or activity marked by false delicacy, prudery, or affectation
b
: superior social status or prestige evidenced by manners, possessions, or mode of life

Examples of gentility in a Sentence

Education was considered a mark of gentility. was full of the same gentility and grace that marked the rest of the family
Recent Examples on the Web For all the luxurious trappings of the room, the gentility of the service, the precision of the culinary technique, Kim’s approach at Meju is one of anti-luxury: there are no truffles on the menu, no uni, no caviar. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2023 Perhaps because of her lyrical name, or her Southern gentility, Lady Bird has often been misunderstood and underestimated. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023 Defenders said her critics were confusing her patrician gentility for senility. Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023 Yet, thanks to Cloud, who brought gentleness and gentility to the role, the character could never be easily written off, or out, as a gangland plot device. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023 On a show where decorum and gentility are supposedly everything, the rules somehow only apply to certain people. Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 27 Feb. 2023 Austen’s Bennet family is shabby upper-middle-class gentility. Noah Berlatsky, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2023 But despite that, the atmosphere is one of gentility and calm. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2023 In a different era with far less public scrutiny, Columbia University simply shunted Jewish applicants off to a local community college instead so as to keep them from embarrassing the WASP gentility of the Ivy League by their demographic dominance at the main campus. The Editors, National Review, 8 Mar. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gentility was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near gentility

Cite this Entry

“Gentility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentility. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gentility

noun
gen·​til·​i·​ty jen-ˈtil-ət-ē How to pronounce gentility (audio)
plural gentilities
1
: good birth and family
2
: the qualities of a well-bred person
3
: good manners

More from Merriam-Webster on gentility

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