A gentleman is a man who comes from a family of high social standing.
...this wonderful portrait of English gentleman Joseph Greenway.
2. countable noun
If you say that a man is a gentleman, you mean he is polite and educated, and can be trusted.
He was always such a gentleman.
3. countable noun
You can address men as gentlemen, or refer politely to them as gentlemen.
[politeness]
This way, please, ladies and gentlemen.
It seems this gentleman was waiting for the doctor.
4.
See a gentleman's agreement
gentleman in British English
(ˈdʒɛntəlmən)
nounWord forms: plural-men
1.
a man regarded as having qualities of refinement associated with a good family
2.
a man who is cultured, courteous, and well-educated
3.
a polite name for a man
4.
the personal servant of a gentleman (esp in the phrase gentleman's gentleman)
5. British history
a man of gentle birth, who was entitled to bear arms, ranking above a yeoman in social position
6.
(formerly) a smuggler
Derived forms
gentlemanly (ˈgentlemanly)
adjective
gentlemanliness (ˈgentlemanliness)
noun
gentleman in American English
(ˈdʒɛntəlmən)
nounWord forms: pluralˈgentlemen (ˈdʒɛntəlmən)
1.
a. Obsolete
a man born into a family of high social standing
b.
any man of independent means who does not work for a living
2.
a courteous, gracious man with a strong sense of honor
3.
a man's personal servant; valet
: chiefly in the phrase gentleman's gentleman
4.
any man
a polite term, esp. as (in pl.) a form of address
5. US
a member of the U.S. House of Representatives
usually a form of address: often in the phrase the gentleman from (a specified state)
Word origin
ME gentilman (after OFr gentilz hom): see gentle & UNRESOLVED CROSS REF
COBUILD Collocations
gentleman
elderly gentleman
perfect gentleman
Examples of 'gentleman' in a sentence
gentleman
He is always a gentleman.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
What did you say was the name of that gentleman near the door?
George Eliot Daniel Deronda (1876)
He was a courteous and kind gentleman.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He was an impeccable gentleman and always willing to share his expertise.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
How does the polite gentleman cope with his mobile phone ringing in public?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He was a true gentleman and always had time for fans.
The Sun (2009)
He was a gentleman who always helped young colleagues.
The Sun (2009)
He is always a gentleman in the changing room.
The Sun (2008)
Not the way gentlemen do battle.
Iain Gale Man of Honour (2007)
Ladies and gentlemen, please try to maintain the discipline.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
As a gentleman of means, he embraced photography as a very serious hobby.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
IT'S time gentlemen please, to make way for the ladies.
The Sun (2015)
Let me put it another way, gentlemen.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
All say he is a perfect gentleman, courteous and charming.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He is such a gentleman, always polite and smiling for the crowd.
The Sun (2012)
The disabled cubicle was unoccupied, and a rather large gentleman pushed his way through to use it.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He was a little gentleman, very polite and kind but he also had a cheeky sense of humour.
The Sun (2016)
But we mean business, gentlemen.
Thomas Hughes Tom Brown's Schooldays (1857)
Mind your language please, gentlemen.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Up your game, please, gentlemen.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
As is the way with gentlemen's agreements, it was only the gentlemen who observed it.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Time gentlemen, please - time to make room for her indoors.
The Sun (2011)
Such an education would produce a cultured gentleman, a well-rounded person in whom knowledge and virtue would mix perfectly.
Christianity Today (2000)
Quotations
It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts painCardinal NewmanThe Idea of a University
In other languages
gentleman
British English: gentleman /ˈdʒɛntlmən/ NOUN
A gentleman is a man from a family of high social standing.
...the traditional country gentleman.
American English: gentleman
Arabic: كَرِيـمُ الـمَحْتِد
Brazilian Portuguese: cavalheiro
Chinese: 绅士
Croatian: gospodin
Czech: džentlmen
Danish: gentleman
Dutch: gentleman
European Spanish: caballero
Finnish: herrasmies
French: gentleman
German: Gentleman
Greek: τζέντλεμαν
Italian: gentiluomo
Japanese: 紳士
Korean: 신사
Norwegian: gentleman
Polish: dżentelmen
European Portuguese: cavalheiro
Romanian: gentilom
Russian: джентльмен
Latin American Spanish: caballero
Swedish: gentleman
Thai: สุภาพบุรุษ
Turkish: centilmen
Ukrainian: джентльмен
Vietnamese: người đàn ông phong nhã
All related terms of 'gentleman'
old gentleman
→ the old gentleman
country gentleman
a rich man with an estate in the country
elderly gentleman
You can address men as gentlemen , or refer politely to them as gentlemen .
gentleman-farmer
a man who engages in farming but does not depend on it for his living
gentleman friend
a man with whom a woman is romantically involved; suitor
perfect gentleman
If you say that a man is a gentleman , you mean he is polite and educated , and can be trusted .
gentleman-at-arms
a member of the guard who attend the British sovereign on ceremonial and state occasions
the old gentleman
a jocular name for Satan
gentleman-in-waiting
a man who comes from a family of high social standing and who is attached to a royal household or to the household of a person of high rank
gentleman of fortune
→ adventurer
gentleman's agreement
A gentleman's agreement or a gentlemen's agreement is an informal agreement in which people trust one another to do what they have promised . The agreement is not written down and does not have any legal force.
a gentleman's agreement
A gentleman's agreement or a gentlemen's agreement is an informal agreement in which people trust one another to do what they have promised . The agreement is not written down and does not have any legal force.
Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod
officer of the Order of St Michael and St George
Black Rod
(in Britain) an officer of the House of Lords and of the Order of the Garter , whose main duty is summoning the Commons at the opening and proroguing of Parliament
Chinese translation of 'gentleman'
gentleman
(ˈdʒɛntlmən)
Word forms:plgentlemen
n(c)
(= man) 先生 (xiānsheng) (位, wèi)
(= well-mannered man) 绅(紳)士 (shēnshì) (位, wèi)
(referring to social position) 有身份的人 (yǒu shēnfèn de rén)
a real gentleman一位真正的绅(紳)士 (yī wèi zhēnzhèng de shēnshì)
gentleman's agreement君子协(協)定 (jūnzǐ xiédìng)
Quotation
It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain [Cardinal Newman – The Idea of a University]