Gentleman — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈjen-tᵊl-mən/ gen·tle·man

Meaning & Definition of Gentleman

Gentleman (noun)

  1. a man of noble or gentle birth
  2. a man belonging to the landed gentry
  3. a man who combines gentle birth or rank with chivalrous qualities

Gentleman (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a man of high birth or social position

    "many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were gentlemen who were risking everything"

    similar: grandee, lord, milord, nobleman, peer
    related: country gentleman, squire, cavalier, chevalier, knight, don, hidalgo, nabob, nawab, seigneur, seignior, sheikh, baron, baronet, count, duke, earl, esquire, marchese, margrave, marquess, master, prince, princelet, princeling, raja, viscount, lordship, sire (archaic)
    near: boor, churl, cottar, fellah, peasant, peon, commoner, pleb, plebeian, proletarian, toiler

  2. an adult male human being

    "ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats"

    similar: bastard, bloke (chiefly British), buck, cat, chap (chiefly British), chappie (British), dude, fella, fellow, galoot (slang), gent, guy, hombre, jack, joe, joker, lad, male, man
    related: master, mister, sir, buddy, buster

  3. an honorable and courteous man

    "was such a gentleman that he offered to call a cab for me"

    similar: cavalier
    related: Galahad, knight, prince, beau, Beau Brummell, blade, blood, buck, dandy, dude, fop, gallant, jay, petit-maître, captivator, charmer, ladies' man, smoothy, aristocrat, patrician, swell

Related Entry: Gentleman farmer (noun)

Gentleman farmer is a different word from Gentleman. The synonyms below are for gentleman farmer, not for gentleman.

  1. as in tenant farmer, subsistence farmer

    similar: crofter (chiefly British), cropper, sharecropper, subsistence farmer, tenant farmer, yeoman, agriculturist, agronomist, cultivator, grower, planter, tiller, farmhand, field hand, gleaner, harvester, plowman, reaper, workfolk, homesteader, nester (West), granger, rancher, ranchero, ranchman, campesino
    opposite: nonfarmer

Related Entry: Country gentleman (noun)

Country gentleman is a different word from Gentleman. The synonyms below are for country gentleman, not for gentleman.

  1. as in squire

    similar: squire, gentleman, grandee, lord, milord, nobleman, peer, cavalier, chevalier, knight, don, hidalgo, nabob, nawab, seigneur, seignior, sheikh, baron, baronet, count, duke, earl, esquire, marchese, margrave, marquess, master, prince, princelet, princeling, raja, viscount, lordship, sire (archaic)
    opposite: boor, churl, cottar, fellah, peasant, peon, commoner, pleb, plebeian, proletarian, toiler

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Gentleman

The most common words with a similar meaning to Gentleman:

Chiefly British: bloke, chap
British: chappie
Slang: galoot
grandee, lord, milord, nobleman, peer, bastard, buck, cat, dude, fella, fellow, gent, guy, hombre, jack, joe, joker, lad, male, man, cavalier

Related Words for Gentleman

country gentleman, squire, chevalier, knight, don, hidalgo, nabob, nawab, seigneur, seignior, sheikh, baron, baronet, count, duke, earl, esquire, marchese, margrave, marquess, master, prince, princelet, princeling, raja, viscount, lordship, sire, mister, sir

Near Antonyms of Gentleman

boor, churl, cottar, fellah, peasant, peon, commoner, pleb, plebeian, proletarian, toiler

Word Forms of Gentleman

Derived words: gentlemanlike (adjective), gentlemanlikeness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Gentleman

Middle English gentilman

First known use: 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Gentleman

gentleman-at-arms, gentleman-commoner, gentleman farmer, gentleman of fortune, gentleman's agreement, gentleman's club, country gentleman, First Gentleman, Second Gentleman

Frequently Asked Questions about Gentleman

What does "Gentleman" mean?

"Gentleman" means a man of noble or gentle birth. As a noun, it is defined as: a man of noble or gentle birth. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Gentleman"?

Other words for "Gentleman" include grandee, lord, milord, nobleman, peer, bastard, bloke and buck. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Gentleman" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Gentleman"?

There are 74 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Gentleman". Common alternatives include grandee, lord, milord, nobleman, peer, bastard, bloke, buck, cat and chap.

How do you use "Gentleman" in a sentence?

Examples of "Gentleman" in a sentence: "many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were gentlemen who were risking everything"; "ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats"; "was such a gentleman that he offered to call a cab for me".

Is "Gentleman" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Gentleman" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Gentleman"?

"Gentleman" is pronounced /ˈjen-tᵊl-mən/ and divided into syllables as gen·tle·man.

What is the origin of the word "Gentleman"?

"Gentleman" comes from Middle English gentilman. First known use: 12th century.

What is another word for "Gentleman" meaning "a man of high birth or social position"?

When "Gentleman" (noun) means a man of high birth or social position, synonyms include grandee, lord, milord, nobleman and peer.