Where does “gentry” come from?
Gentry comes from Old French genterise, derived from Old French gentelise, which developed from Old French gentil meaning "of noble birth," from Latin gentilis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- meaning "to beget" or "produce."
gentry (English): Birth; condition; rank by birth; Courtesy;...
Definitions
- Birth; condition; rank by birth; Courtesy;...
Ancestry of “gentry”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | genterise | — |
| 2 | Old French | gentil | noble; courteous; courtly |
| 3 | Latin | gentīlis | — |
| 4 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |
Words derived from “gentry”