Where does “genteel” come from?
Genteel comes from French gentil, from Latin gentilis meaning of a family or clan, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- meaning to beget or produce.
genteel (English): Affectedly proper or refined; somewhat prudish...
Definitions
- Affectedly proper or refined; somewhat prudish...
Ancestry of “genteel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | gentil | helpful, kind; pleasant, amiable, nice;... |
| 2 | Old French | gentil | noble; courteous; courtly |
| 3 | Latin | gentīlis | of or belonging to the same family or gēns: kinsman |
| 4 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |