Where does “gentleman” come from?
Gentleman derives from Middle English gentil and man, with gentil from Old French gentil, Latin gentilis meaning "of a family or clan," and man from Middle English man, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men- meaning "to think" or "mind."
gentleman (English): A man of gentle but not noble birth,...
Definitions
- A man of gentle but not noble birth,...
Ancestry of “gentleman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gentilman | gentleman |
| 2 | Middle English | man | Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;... |
| 3 | Old English | mān | bad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;... |
| 4 | Sanskrit | महादेव | the "great God" |
| 5 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | maźʰā́ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | maȷ́ʰā́ | big, great |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂s | big, great |