Genteel
/dʒɛnˈtiːl/noun
Polite, refined, or respectable, often in an affected or ostentatious way.
Did you know?The term 'genteel' originally described the behavior of the nobility, rooted in a time when one's social status could be tied to their very essence, almost like a spell of high birth!
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
gentilis
“of the same clan, noble, or of high birth.”
Old French
Old French
gentil
“noble, well-born, or courteous.”
15th Century
Middle English
gentil
“of noble birth, refined.”
17th Century
English
genteel
“affectedly refined or elegant, often with a sense of pretension.”