Where does “Gentleman” come from?
Gentleman (German) comes from English gentleman, from Middle English gentilman, from Middle English man, from Old English mān, from Sanskrit महादेव, from Sanskrit महा, from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́ — big, great.
Gentleman (German): gentleman well-mannered, charming man
Definitions
- gentleman well-mannered, charming man
Ancestry of “Gentleman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | gentleman | A man of gentle but not noble birth,... |
| 2 | Middle English | gentilman | gentleman |
| 3 | Middle English | man | Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;... |
| 4 | Old English | mān | bad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;... |
| 5 | Sanskrit | महादेव | the "great God" |
| 6 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | maźʰā́ | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | maȷ́ʰā́ | big, great |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂s | big, great |