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 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 The gentleman was lovely, kind and caring toward me. Haben Kelati, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff have also campaigned there. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 Ladies and gentlemen: Jennifer Lopez and her Oppenheimer Dancers! Wesley Morris, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 After applying, young ladies (and gentlemen) from all over the world can get the chance to take part in the ceremony—tiaras and all, no titles needed. Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2024 In downtown Minneapolis, long-running nude and semi-nude clubs like Deja Vu Showgirls, Dream Girls, the Seville and the Spearmint Rhino draw gentlemen nightly. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 4 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 19 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!