Where does “gentile” come from?
Gentile comes from French gentil, from Latin gentilis meaning "of a clan or family," from Latin -ilis and Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- meaning "to beget or produce."
gentile (English): Non-Jewish; Heathen, pagan; Relating to a clan,...
Definitions
- Non-Jewish; Heathen, pagan; Relating to a clan,...
Ancestry of “gentile”, 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 |