gentility

UK: /dʒɛnˈtɪlɪti/ US: /dʒɛnˈtɪlɪti/ ,( jen til′i tē)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gen•til•i•ty /dʒɛnˈtɪlɪti/   n. [uncountable]

1. good breeding or refinement;
   politeness and elegance.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gen•til•i•ty  ( jen til′i tē), n. 

1. good breeding or refinement.
2. affected or pretentious politeness or elegance.
3. the status of belonging to polite society.
4. members of polite society collectively.

• Latin gentīlitāt- (stem of gentīlitās), equivalent. to gentīl(is) (see gentle) + -itāt- -ity
• Old French gentilite
• Middle English 1300–50

Synonyms

• 1. polish, grace, decorum, propriety.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gentility / dʒɛnˈtɪlɪtɪ/ noun ( -ties)

1. respectability and polite good breeding
2. affected politeness
3. noble birth or ancestry
4. people of noble birth

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French gentilite, from Latin gentīlitās relationship of those belonging to the same tribe or family; see gens