gentlewomen

Variant of gentlewoman

gentlewoman definition

gentle·woman (jent′'l wo̵om′ən)

noun pl. gentlewomen -·wom′en (-wim′in)

  1. Obsolete a woman born into a family of high social standing; lady
  2. a courteous, gracious, considerate woman
  3. Historical a woman in attendance on a lady of rank
  4. ☆ a female member of the U.S. House of Representatives: usually a form of address: often in the phrase the gentlewoman from (a specified state)
    also gentlelady gen′tle·la′dy

Etymology: ME gentil womman

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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