gentry
UK: ˈdʒentri | US: ˈdʒentri
n. People of good social position, specifically the class of people below the nobility in status (historically in England).
n. (Archaic) Courtesy or nobility of manners.
The word gentry emerged in Middle English (14th century) to describe the class of landowners below the nobility, reflecting social hierarchy. The root gent traces back to Latin gens, emphasizing familial or tribal prestige. The suffix -ry systematized it as a collective term, mirroring societal structures like nobility or yeomanry. Over time, it became specific to England’s landed elite, distinct from continental aristocracy.
The local gentry hosted a grand ball at the manor.
In Tudor England, the gentry wielded significant political influence.
She admired the gentry’s refined manners and education.
The novel satirizes the hypocrisy of the 18th-century gentry.
Unlike the nobility, the gentry earned status through landownership, not titles.