Gentleman

Gentleman

The term gentleman (from Latin gentilis, belonging to a race or gens, and man, cognate with the French word gentilhomme, the Spanish Caballero, the Italian gentil uomo or gentiluomo and the Portuguese gentil-homem), in its original and strict signification, denoted a man of the lowest rank of the English gentry, standing below an esquire and above a yeoman.

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Famous quotes containing the word gentleman:

    The gentleman is learned, and a most rare speaker.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    The gentleman is a man of truth, lord of his own actions, and expressing that lordship in his behavior, not in any manner dependent and servile either on persons, or opinions, or possessions.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    A gentleman opposed to their enfranchisement once said to me, “Women have never produced anything of any value to the world.” I told him the chief product of the women had been the men, and left it to him to decide whether the product was of any value.
    Anna Howard Shaw (1847–1919)