Meanings
plural gentilities
- uncountableThe state of being elegant, genteel, having good breeding, or being socially superior.
1967-1969, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure He is the violence and fear of the boy of my stories, yet the gentility and sensitivity of poetry.
1 more example
A powerful visitors’ bureau has pushed the South Carolina city to the top of “best” lists by selling gentility. Critics say that has come at the expense of history and the city’s Black population.
2020 August 12, Tariro Mzezewa, Kim Severson, “Charleston Tourism Is Built on Southern Charm. Locals Say It’s Time to Change.”, in New York Times - countableuncountableThe upper classes, the gentry.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounelegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Frenchgentilité
- Englishgentility
From Old French gentilité.
More words from Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian елегантност
- елегантност (elegantnost)The state of being elegant
German Vornehmheit, vornehme Herkunft
- VornehmheitThe state of being elegant
- vornehme HerkunftThe state of being elegant
- vornehme LebensartThe state of being elegant
Irish uaisleacht
- uaisleachtThe state of being elegant
Polish dystynkcja
- dystynkcjaThe state of being elegant
Portuguese fidalguia, gentileza
- fidalguiaThe state of being elegant
- gentilezaThe state of being elegant
Cite this entry
gentility. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gentility
“gentility.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gentility. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gentility,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gentility.
Source: gentility on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.