gentlemanly

English

Etymology

From Middle English gentilmanly; equivalent to gentleman +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

gentlemanly (comparative gentlemanlier, superlative gentlemanliest)

1. Of, being, pertaining to, or resembling a gentleman or gentlemen.

   Synonym: gentlemanlike

   • 2010 June 22, Catherine Rampell, “In Law Schools, Grades Go Up, Just Like That”, in The New York Times, page A1:

     Some schools bump up everyone’s grades, some just allow for more As and others all but eliminate the once-gentlemanly C.

   • 2023 March 8, Paul Salveson, “Fond farewells to two final trains...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 54:

     The stationmaster was an important part of the local community. Anyon Kay, in his reminiscences of Horwich in the early 20th century, remembers a Mr Horsfield as stationmaster - "a gentlemanly character who took his job very seriously".

Derived terms

• gentlemanlily
• gentlemanliness

Translations

gentlemanlike — see gentlemanlike

Adverb

gentlemanly (comparative more gentlemanly, superlative most gentlemanly)

1. In the manner or with the behavior of a gentleman; with social grace, politely.
   • 1938, Charles A. Johnson, A Narrative History of Wise County, Virginia, page 165:

     He went gentlemanly dressed in East Virginia style, wore a high-top silk hat, as had lawyer Park, and sported a gold headed walking cane.

Synonyms

• gentlemanlily (rare)

Translations

in the manner of a gentleman

• Finnish: herrasmiesmäisesti
• Georgian: ჯენტლმენური (ǯenṭlmenuri)
• German: vornehm (de)
• Italian: signorile (it)
• Macedonian: кавале́рски (kavalérski), џентлме́нски (džentlménski), го́сподски (góspodski)
• Polish: dżentelmeńsko (pl), szarmancko (pl)
• Russian: джентльме́нский (ru) m (džentlʹménskij) джентльме́нская (ru) f (džentlʹménskaja)
• Spanish: caballerescamente (es), caballerosamente (es), galantemente (es), gentilmente (es)

See also

• ladylike