French Conversation · Level 176
15 words
French word
gentilhomme
Pronunciation
IPA/ʒɑ̃tijɔm/
Meaning
- masculine noungentleman
Example
Un gentilhomme ouvre la porte pour elle.
A gentleman opens the door for her.
More examples
Quand elle a eu froid, le gentilhomme lui a prêté son manteau.
When she felt cold, the gentleman lent her his coat.
Core concept
A polished man whose courteous conduct signals traditional gentlemanly manners.
Common phrases
se comporter en gentilhomme
behave like a gentleman
un gentilhomme attentionné
a thoughtful gentleman
Similar words
monsieur: A polite form of address used for a man.
homme: The general noun for an adult male.
mec: A casual spoken word for a man.
Definition in French
Homme perçu comme courtois et galant, souvent employé dans un registre formel ou ironique.
Word origin
Gentilhomme combines gentil, from Latin gentilis ('of the same clan' and later 'noble'), with homme, and its sense developed toward a courteous man.
Usage tips
- Gentilhomme is more formal and can sound ironic in modern French, so context matters more than its resemblance to English gentleman.
Other meanings
- noblemannoun
Opposites
- goujatloutnoun
- rustreuncouth personnoun