gentility

English

Etymology

From Old French gentilité.

Noun

gentility (countable and uncountable, plural gentilities)

  1. (uncountable) The state of being elegant, genteel, having good breeding, or being socially superior.
    • 1967-1969, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
      He is the violence and fear of the boy of my stories, yet the gentility and sensitivity of poetry.
    • 2020 August 12, Tariro Mzezewa, Kim Severson, “Charleston Tourism Is Built on Southern Charm. Locals Say It’s Time to Change.”, in New York Times‎:
      A powerful visitors’ bureau has pushed the South Carolina city to the top of “best” lists by selling gentility. Critics say that has come at the expense of history and the city’s Black population.
  2. The upper classes, the gentry.

Translations
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