gentry

(jen′trē)

noun

Obsolete rank resulting from birth; esp., high rank
people of high social standing; esp., in Great Britain, the class of landowning people ranking just below the nobility
people of a particular class or group: the newspaper gentry

Origin: ME genterie, noble or high birth; prob. taken as sing. of genterise, gentility of birth < OFr, var. of gentilise < gentil: see gentle

See gentry in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. gen·tries

People of gentle birth, good breeding, or high social position.
a. An upper or ruling class.
b. The class of English landowners ranking just below the nobility.
People of a particular class or group: another commuter from the suburban gentry.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English gentri, nobility of birth

Origin: , from Old French genterie

Origin: , variant of genterise, gentilise

Origin: , from gentil, noble; see gentle

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