gentleman

noun, often attributive gen·tle·man \ ˈjen-tᵊl-mən , ˈje-nᵊl- , in rapid speech also ˈjen-tə-mən , ˈje-nə- \

Updated on: 23 May 2018

1 a : a man of noble or gentle (see ¹gentle 1a) birth

b : a man belonging to the landed gentry

c (1) : a man who combines gentle (see ¹gentle 1a) 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 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

play \ˈjen-tᵊl-mən-ˌlīk, ˈje-nᵊl-\ adjective

—

gentlemanlikeness

noun

See gentleman defined for English-language learners

See gentleman defined for kids

Examples of gentleman in a Sentence

A true gentleman would never engage in such behavior.
He's a gentleman by birth.

Recent Examples of gentleman from the Web

It was once understood that a gentleman never holds up a woman’s looks for ridicule.

— william mcgurn, WSJ, "Meet Jimmy Kimmel’s Nun," 14 May 2018
That's on display from Day 1, and to many, Bush - compared with Trump's tweets, tantrums and general disregard for truth - looks like a scholar and a gentleman.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Donald Trump may be best thing that ever happened to George W. Bush," 13 May 2018
Why go back to school after all those years and settle for a gentleman’s C?

— ben falcone, New York Times, "Review: In ‘Life of the Party,’ Melissa McCarthy Goes to College," 10 May 2018
He was loved and respected by all who crossed his path, a consummate gentleman and role model.

— courant.com, "Salvatore A. Camilleri," 28 Apr. 2018
Given how hot the Sixers had been burning on their way to the playoffs, a gentleman’s sweep didn’t seem out of the question.

— jeremy woo, SI.com, "The Sixers Passed Their First Test With Relative Ease," 24 Apr. 2018
The master wing includes a closet designed to replicate a Chanel boutique, as well as a gentleman’s closet dedicated to the owner’s $100,000 collection of Air Jordan sneakers.

— robyn a. friedman, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Zen-inspired mansion west of Delray listed for $20 million," 23 Apr. 2018
Hitler could pose as a cultured gentleman at Munich salons, as a pistol-waving thug at the beer hall, and as a bohemian in the company of singers and actors.

— naomi fry, The New Yorker, "How American Racism Influenced Hitler," 23 Apr. 2018
There was a recent story in the Union-Tribune about a gentleman by the name of Constantin Reliu from Romania.

— sandiegouniontribune.com, "More meaning to dead man walking," 8 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gentleman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.