genteel
- genteel
genteel 1590s, from
M.Fr. gentil "
stylish, fashionable, elegant; nice, graceful, pleasing," from
O.Fr. gentil "
high-born, noble" (11c.); a reborrowing of the French word that had early come into English as
GENTLE (
Cf. gentle) (
q.v.), with French pronunciation and stress preserved to emphasize the distinction. Cf. also
JAUNTY (
Cf. jaunty);
GENTILE (
Cf. gentile).
OED 2nd ed. reports
genteel "
is now used, except by the ignorant, only in mockery" (a development it dates from the 1840s).
Etymology dictionary.
2014.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
Genteel — Gen*teel , a. [F. gentil noble, pretty, graceful. See {Gentle}.] 1. Possessing or exhibiting the qualities popularly regarded as belonging to high birth and breeding; free from vulgarity, or lowness of taste or behavior; adapted to a refined or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
genteel — index civil (polite) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
genteel — Its primary meaning is ‘affectedly or ostentatiously refined or stylish’, but it is often used ironically to mean ‘of or appropriate to the upper classes’ … Modern English usage
genteel — [adj] sophisticated, cultured affected, aristocratic, artificial, chivalrous, civil, confined, courteous, courtly, cultivated, distingué, elegant, fashionable, formal, graceful, hollow, intolerant, la di da*, mannerly, noble, ostentatious,… … New thesaurus
genteel — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ affectedly polite and refined. DERIVATIVES genteelly adverb. ORIGIN French gentil well born … English terms dictionary
genteel — [jen tēl′] adj. [< Fr gentil (of same orig. as GENTLE & JAUNTY, but borrowed again in 16th c.)] 1. Old fashioned having or showing the good taste and refinement associated with polite society; elegant, fashionable, etc. 2. excessively or… … English World dictionary
genteel — [[t]ʤenti͟ːl[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED A genteel person is respectable and well mannered, and comes or seems to come from a high social class. It was a place to which genteel families came in search of health and quiet. ...two maiden ladies with genteel … English dictionary
genteel — UK [dʒenˈtiːl] / US [dʒenˈtɪl] adjective 1) a) typical of polite well educated people belonging to a high social class who have strict moral standards and are easily shocked by anything rude genteel manners b) lived in by rich polite people and… … English dictionary
genteel — gen|teel [ dʒen til ] adjective 1. ) typical of polite people belonging to a high social class: genteel manners a ) lived in by rich polite people: a genteel seaside town 2. ) trying to appear as if you belong to a high social class ╾ gen|teel|ly … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
genteel — adjective Etymology: Middle French gentil gentle Date: 1599 1. a. having an aristocratic quality or flavor ; stylish b. of or relating to the gentry or upper class c. elegant or graceful in manner, appearance, or shape d. free from vulgarity or… … New Collegiate Dictionary
