Gentility

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Gentility \Gen*til"i*ty\, n. [L. gentilitas the relationship of
     those who belong to the same clan, also, heathenism: cf. F.
     gentilit['e] heathenism. See {Gentile}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. Good extraction; dignity of birth. --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]


  
              He . . . mines my gentility with my education.
                                                    --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The quality or qualities appropriate to those who are well
        born, as self-respect, dignity, courage, courtesy,
        politeness of manner, a graceful and easy mien and
        behavior, etc.; good breeding.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The class in society who are, or are expected to be,
        genteel; the gentry. [R.] --Sir J. Davies.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Paganism; heathenism. [Obs.] --Hooker.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  gentility
       n : elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
           [syn: {breeding}, {genteelness}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  49 Moby Thesaurus words for "gentility":
     ancestry, appropriateness, aristocracy, aristocraticalness,
     becomingness, birth, blood, blue blood, breeding, civility,
     cultivation, culture, decency, decorousness, decorum, distinction,
     elegance, elite, felicity, fitness, fittingness, flower,
     genteelness, gentlemanlikeness, gentlemanliness, gentleness,
     gentry, good breeding, happiness, honorable descent, ladylikeness,
     meetness, nobility, noble birth, nobleness, polish, properness,
     propriety, quality, rank, refinement, rightness, royalty,
     seemliness, society, suitability, upper class, upper crust,
     urbanity