gentility

noun

gen·​til·​i·​ty jen-ˈti-lə-tē 

plural gentilities

1

a

: the condition of belonging to the gentry

b

: gentlefolk, 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

Synonyms of gentility

• manners
• elegance
• gallantry
• politeness
• attentiveness
• civility
• thoughtfulness
• gracefulness
• courteousness
• courtesy
• hospitality
• graciousness
• respectability

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

Neil Fuentes, a founder of the New Haven Academy of Performing Arts and the artistic director of Broadway on Main, brings an uncommon gentility and hearty spirit to the character of Murray the Cop. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026

There’s a certain kind of gentility and politeness, and then on the flip side, dark humor and grotesquerie. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

All this rapacious consumerism sits somewhat awkwardly alongside Hermès’s image of Old World gentility. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

At Montage Big Sky, a 139-room wood-and-stone main structure dispenses with antler chandeliers and wagon wheels in favor of easygoing American gentility. — Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for gentility

• ability
• agility
• civility
• debility
• docility
• ductility
• facility
• fertility
• fragility
• futility
• hostility
• humility

Kids Definition

gentility

noun

gen·​til·​i·​ty jen-ˈtil-ət-ē 

plural gentilities

1

: good birth and family

2

: the qualities of a well-bred person

3

: good manners