Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gent” come from?

Gent comes from English gentleman, which derives from English man combined with Latin genus meaning "birth" or "race," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵénh₁tis and men-.

gent (English): A gentleman; Noble; well-bred, courteous;...

Definitions

  1. A gentleman; Noble; well-bred, courteous;...

Ancestry of “gent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgentlemanA man of gentle but not noble birth,...
2Middle Englishgentilman—
3Middle EnglishmanTypically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;...
4Old Englishmānbad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;...
5Sanskritमहादेव—
6Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
7Sanskritमहायान—
8Sanskritयानcarriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,...
9Proto-Indo-AryanyáHnam—
10Proto-Indo-IranianyáHnam—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanyéh₂-nom—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₂-to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂- →