Where does “gentlefolk” come from?
Gentlefolk derives from Middle English folk, Old English folc, and Latin gentilis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- meaning to fill or be full, combined with the suffix -lós.
gentlefolk (English): People of superior social position
Definitions
- People of superior social position
Ancestry of “gentlefolk”, step by step
gentlefolk traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English gentle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | gentle | Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly... |
| 2 | Middle English | gentil | courteous, noble |
| 3 | Old French | gentil | noble; courteous; courtly |
| 4 | Latin | gentīlis | of or belonging to the same family or gēns: kinsman |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |
via English folk
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | folk | Of or pertaining to the inhabitants of a land,... |
| 2 | German | volk | people, nation, folk, tribe, race group united by culture, history, descent, and/or language |
| 3 | Middle High German | volc | — |
| 4 | Old High German | folc | folk; people collectively, nation; people, nation |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | folk | people, tribe |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | fulką | people; tribe |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pleh₁- | to fill |