Dictionary

gentle en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈd͡ʒɛn.tl̩/ (General-American)
• [ˈd͡ʒɛ̃.ɾ̃l̩] (General-American)
• /ˈd͡ʒɛn.tl̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• jĕn′tl (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English gentil (“courteous, noble”), from Old French gentil (“high-born, noble”), from Latin gentilis (“of the same family or clan”), from gens (“[Roman] clan”). Doublet of gentile, genteel, and jaunty.

Meanings

1. Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition.
   • A good heart, these days, is hard to find / So please be gentle with this heart of mine 1985, Maria McKee, “A Good Heart”, performed by Feargal Sharkey:
   • Stuart is a gentle man; he would never hurt you.
2. Soft and mild rather than hard or severe.
   • Raj took a deep breath, and reached out to give Armitage the gentlest little stroke. “It’s nippy out. Let’s take him inside.” 2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:
   • As for daytime sun protection, Dr. Bowe said mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide may be gentler on sensitized skin than chemical formulas. 2023 December 6, Jessica DeFino, “Too Many Products Can Stress Out Your Skin. Here’s How to Scale Back.”, in The New York Times:
   • I felt something touch my shoulder; it was gentle and a little slimy.
   • Here the stripped panelling was warmly gold and the pictures, mostly of the English school, were mellow and gentle in the afternoon light. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 3, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
3. Docile and easily managed.
   • a gentle horse
   • We had a gentle swim in the lake.
4. Gradual rather than steep or sudden.
   • The walks in this area have a gentle incline.
5. Polite and respectful rather than rude.
   • He gave me a gentle reminder that we had to hurry up.
6. (archaic) Well-born; of a good family or respectable birth, though not noble.
   • "You are of gentle blood," she said […] 1822, [Walter Scott], Peveril of the Peak. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC:
   • the studies wherein our noble and gentle youth ought to bestow their time [1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC:
   • 1893-1897, Charles Kendall Adams (editor), Johnson's Universal Encyclopedia British society is divided into nobility, gentry, and yeomanry, and families are either noble, gentle, or simple.

Forms

Antonyms

rude (antonym(s) of “polite”)

Deriveds

gentleness · gentlewoman · gentlefolk · gentlegirl · overgentle · go gentle into that good night · gentle-heartedness · gentle-hearted · flower-gentle · gentle giant · gentlehood · gently · gentlebeing · gentilly · gentlesome · ungentle · gentleman · gentle craft · gentlethem · gentleship · gentle and simple · gentle nor simple · tercel gentle · gentle-handed · gentlefolks · gentle or simple · gentle as a lamb · gentle sex · gentlehearted · gentle murder paradox · gentle-heartedly

Synonyms

polite · respectful · kind · friendly · silken

Translations (167)

bg учти́в (polite and respectful rather than rude) · uk слухня́ний (docile and easily managed) · cy tyner (tender and amiable) · fr gentil (tender and amiable) · de sanftmütig (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ka რბილი (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ga séimh (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ru благоро́дный (tender and amiable) · az zərif (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · es apacible (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ru учти́вый (polite and respectful rather than rude) · tr nazik (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ka რბილი (tender and amiable) · bg дружелю́бен (tender and amiable) · bg приве́тлив (tender and amiable) · mi mārū (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · es apacible (docile and easily managed) · de freundlich (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ka დაქანებული (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · fi kiltti (tender and amiable) · fi herttainen (tender and amiable) · mi māriri (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ar مُؤَدَّب (polite and respectful rather than rude) · mk нежен (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · de gemächlich (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · cs něžný (tender and amiable) · gl xentil (tender and amiable) · la lēnis (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · tr şefkatli (tender and amiable) · th สุภาพ (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ru мя́гкий (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · pl delikatny (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · pt gentil (polite and respectful rather than rude) · fi hellävarainen (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · la clēmēns (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · bg ве́жлив (polite and respectful rather than rude) · be высакаро́дны (tender and amiable) · de sachte (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · es gentil (tender and amiable) · gl manso (docile and easily managed) · ru доброду́шный (tender and amiable) · grc ἤπιος (tender and amiable) · ka გულკეთილი (tender and amiable) · tr hoşgörülü (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · mi māhū (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ga séimh (tender and amiable) · pl łagodny (tender and amiable) · cmn 斯文 (docile and easily managed) · az zərif (tender and amiable) · ru ми́лый (tender and amiable) · la lēnis (tender and amiable) · bg мек (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · be ласка́вы (tender and amiable) · pt gentil (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ang bilewit (tender and amiable) · de liebenswürdig (polite and respectful rather than rude) · fr doux (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · ja 丁寧 (polite and respectful rather than rude) · tr tedricî (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · ka დამრეცი (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · de liebenswürdig (tender and amiable) · bg благоро́ден (tender and amiable) · ba һөҙәк (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · nrf bénîn (tender and amiable) · es gentil (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ru любе́зный (tender and amiable) · pl miły (tender and amiable) · pl delikatny (tender and amiable) · sk láskavý (tender and amiable) · mi aungāwari (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · mi kāwatawata (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ka ნაზი (tender and amiable) · cs zdvořilý (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ru мя́гкий (polite and respectful rather than rude) · de einfühlsam (docile and easily managed) · be ве́тлівы (polite and respectful rather than rude) · mi hūmārika (polite and respectful rather than rude) · uk ні́жний (tender and amiable) · eo milda (tender and amiable) · nl lieflijk (tender and amiable) · ru поло́гий (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · ka სათუთი (tender and amiable) · bg кро́тък (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · mi momohe (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · de einfühlsam (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · grc ἥσυχος (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · uk благоро́дний (tender and amiable) · ka მოსიყვარულე (tender and amiable) · th อ่อนโยน (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ka ფაქიზი (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · izh veeno (tender and amiable) · cmn 斯文 (polite and respectful rather than rude) · grc προσηνής (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · fi leuto (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · fi loiva (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · sh у̀чтив (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ru дружелю́бный (tender and amiable) · ga mín (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ka ფაქიზი (tender and amiable) · grc προσηνής (tender and amiable) · ka თვინიერი (docile and easily managed) · th นุ่มนวล (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ru ве́жливый (polite and respectful rather than rude) · mi mārū (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · sk zdvorilý (polite and respectful rather than rude) · vi nhẹ nhàng (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · es apacible (tender and amiable) · cs laskavý (tender and amiable) · mi māhū (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · hi सज्जन (tender and amiable) · bg послу́шен (docile and easily managed) · bg мил (tender and amiable) · mi ngākau mōwai (tender and amiable) · cmn 斯文 (tender and amiable) · ru кро́ткий (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ka მეგობრული (tender and amiable) · ga mín (tender and amiable) · mk учтив (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ms landai (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · fr docile (docile and easily managed) · fi ystävällinen (polite and respectful rather than rude) · uk люб'я́зний (tender and amiable) · pdt saunft (tender and amiable) · de sanft (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · fi vähittäinen (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · mi mōwai (polite and respectful rather than rude) · tr anlayışlı (docile and easily managed) · pdt saunft (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · be паслухмя́ны (docile and easily managed) · ko 공손하다 (polite and respectful rather than rude) · it gentile (tender and amiable) · pt gentil (tender and amiable) · cy tyner (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · th ใจดี (tender and amiable) · sk nežný (tender and amiable) · ka დამჯერი (docile and easily managed) · ka მშვიდი (docile and easily managed) · cs přívětivý (tender and amiable) · mi hūmārie (tender and amiable) · tr yumuşak başlı (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · sk prívetivý (tender and amiable) · got 𐌵𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍂𐌿𐍃 (tender and amiable) · sh ùčtiv (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ru приве́тливый (tender and amiable) · fi leppoisa (docile and easily managed) · cmn 客氣 /客气 (polite and respectful rather than rude) · uk вві́чливий (polite and respectful rather than rude) · bg любе́зен (tender and amiable) · ka თავაზიანი (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ja 優しい (tender and amiable) · ka რბილი (polite and respectful rather than rude) · ka გამგონი (docile and easily managed) · nl geleidelijk (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · ru ла́сковый (tender and amiable) · tr yavaş yavaş (gradual rather than steep or sudden) · ru послу́шный (docile and easily managed) · ga mín (docile and easily managed) · es manso (docile and easily managed) · fr doux (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · cmn 有禮貌 /有礼貌 (polite and respectful rather than rude) · th เป็นกันเอง (tender and amiable) · th ว่าง่าย (docile and easily managed) · uk ласка́вий (tender and amiable) · grc πραΰς (tender and amiable) · pl łagodny (soft and mild rather than hard or severe) · ru не́жный (tender and amiable) · pl uprzejmy (polite and respectful rather than rude)

gentle en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈd͡ʒɛn.tl̩/ (General-American)
• [ˈd͡ʒɛ̃.ɾ̃l̩] (General-American)
• /ˈd͡ʒɛn.tl̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• jĕn′tl (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English gentil (“courteous, noble”), from Old French gentil (“high-born, noble”), from Latin gentilis (“of the same family or clan”), from gens (“[Roman] clan”). Doublet of gentile, genteel, and jaunty.

Meanings

1. (archaic) A person of high birth.
   • While actual medieval societies were full of lots of peasants and a few rich and noble gentles, SCA personas tend to be nobles rather than commoners. 2012, Lizzie Stark, Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing Games, Chicago Review Press, →ISBN, page 43:
   • Gentles, methinks you frown. c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
   • ‘Gentles and fair lady, if you have suffered ill usage or hardship, I pray you lay such complaints before me[.]’ 1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 54:
2. A maggot used as bait by anglers.
   • Pooh! the whole thing is as alive and wrigging as an angler's box of gentles 1846, Douglas William Jerrold, “The History of St. Giles and St. James”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):
   • Years ago, on Victoria's Port Phillip Bay, the recognised bait for garfish were `gentles', a genteel word for maggots, which were especially grown for gar fishermen. 1983, The Fisherman Who Laughed, page 67:
3. A trained falcon, or falcon-gentil.

Forms

gentle en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈd͡ʒɛn.tl̩/ (General-American)
• [ˈd͡ʒɛ̃.ɾ̃l̩] (General-American)
• /ˈd͡ʒɛn.tl̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• jĕn′tl (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English gentil (“courteous, noble”), from Old French gentil (“high-born, noble”), from Latin gentilis (“of the same family or clan”), from gens (“[Roman] clan”). Doublet of gentile, genteel, and jaunty.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To become gentle.
   • “She's experienced a horrific and nasty scare and is in a state of shock, but otherwise she's relatively okay.” Conrad replied, his tone at first grim (as he recalled what he'd seen in the family room) and then it gentled to a more doctorial tone as he directed his next comments to his patient. 2013, Kathryn L.M. Reynolds, Garland Roses, Kathryn L.M. Reynolds, →ISBN, page 226:
   • A September morning brought a stiff northeast wind that blew at 30 miles an hour and kept small craft out of the sound. But by afternoon the wind gentled and the sound smoothed. 1987 October, Charles E. Cobb, Jr., “North Carolina's Outer Banks”, in National Geographic, volume 172, number 4, page 510:
2. (obsolete, transitive) To ennoble.
   • […] For he to-day that sheds his blood with me / Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, / This day shall gentle his condition […] c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
3. (qualifier:animal husbandry, transitive) To break; to tame; to domesticate.
   • Yakima could have tried to catch him, gentle him as Wolf had been gentled, but having two stallions in his cavvy would lead to a different kind of trouble. 2008, Frank Leslie, The Killing Breed, Penguin, →ISBN:
4. (transitive) To soothe; to calm; to make gentle.
   • A hornist, his playing gentled by perspective, is out of sight within the woods, but his notes are heard through or over the murmuring mix of bird song and breeze in leaves. 1996, William C. Loring, An American Romantic-realist Abroad: Templeton Strong and His Music, Scarecrow Press, →ISBN, page 201:

Forms