Where does “gentilman” come from?
gentilman (Middle English) comes from Middle English man, from Old English mān, from Sanskrit महादेव, from Sanskrit महा, from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s — big, great.
gentilman (Middle English): gentleman
Definitions
- gentleman
Ancestry of “gentilman”, step by step
gentilman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English man
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | man | Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;... |
| 2 | Old English | mān | bad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;... |
| 3 | Sanskrit | महादेव | the "great God" |
| 4 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | maźʰā́ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | maȷ́ʰā́ | big, great |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂s | big, great |
via Middle English gentil
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gentil | courteous, noble |
| 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 |