The Gentry Ranked Below the Nobility and Above Everyone Else
The gentry are people of good social position. In England they occupied a precise rung below the titled aristocracy.
The gentry are people of high social standing below the nobility. English society defined the boundary sharply: the peerage held hereditary titles and seats in the Lords, while the gentry — baronets, knights, esquires and gentlemen — held land and status without a peerage. Jane Austen's novels are set almost entirely within this layer.
- People of good social position. *The landed gentry.*
- Gentleman — a member of that class. *A country gentleman.*
- Gentrify — to change a district for wealthier residents. *A gentrified street.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | gentry | The local gentry. |
| Person | gentleman | A perfect gentleman. |
| Adjective | genteel | Genteel manners. |
| Verb | gentrify | Gentrify the area. |
| Related | gentle | A gentle nature. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The landed gentry lived off rents.Historical.
- Gentrification raised the rents.Modern urban use.
- Gentle once meant of good birth.Not mild.
English social ranks
- Peerage — duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron
- Baronet — hereditary but not a peer
- Knight — an honour for life, not inherited
- Esquire and gentleman — the lower gentry
- Yeoman — a landowning farmer below the gentry
From Old French *genterie*, from *gentil*, of good birth, from Latin *gentilis*, of the same clan, from *gens*, a family.
Did gentle mean mild?
Not originally. It meant of good birth, and the sense of mildness came from the manners expected of such people.
What is gentrification?
The process by which wealthier residents move into a working-class area, raising property values and displacing existing residents.