GENTILITY

breeding, genteelness, gentility

(noun) elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

gentility (countable and uncountable, plural gentilities)

(uncountable) The state of being elegant, genteel, having good breeding, or being socially superior.

The upper classes, the gentry.

Source: Wiktionary


Gen*til"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. gentilitas the relationship of those who belong to the same clan, also, heathenism: cf. F. gentilité heathenism. See Gentile.]

1. Good extraction; dignity of birth. Macaulay. He . . . mines my gentility with my education. Shak.

2. The quality or qualities appropriate to those who are well born, as self-respect, dignity, courage, courtesy, politeness of manner, a graceful and easy mien and behavior, etc.; good breeding.

3. The class in society who are, or are expected to be, genteel; the gentry. [R.] Sir J. Davies.

4. Paganism; heathenism. [Obs.] Hooker.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

12 April 2025

GLASSY

(adjective) (used of eyes) lacking liveliness; “empty eyes”; “a glassy stare”; “his eyes were glazed over with boredom”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, the seeds of berries from certain Coffea species. When coffee berries turn from green to bright red – indicating ripeness – they are picked, processed, and dried. Dried coffee seeds are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor.

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