gentleman的词源

英文词源

gentleman (n.)

c. 1200, perhaps mid-12c., "well-born man, man of good family or birth," also extended to Roman patricians and ancient Greek aristocrats, from gentle + man (n.); the compound probably is modeled on Old French gentilhomme (the English gentleman itself was borrowed into French in 18c.).

Given specific uses in late Middle English (small gentleman, gentleman-of-arms, gentleman-usher, etc.), hence in England the word often meant any man above the social rank of a yeoman, including the nobility, but it was sometimes restricted to those who bear a coat of arms but not a title; in U.S., "man of property, not engaged in business or a profession" (1789). The English word from the beginning also had a special sense "nobleman whose behavior conforms to the ideals of chivalry and Christianity," and gentleman came to be used loosely for any man of good breeding, courtesy, kindness, honor, strict regard for the feelings of others, etc.

The Gentleman is always truthful and sincere; will not agree for the sake of complaisance or out of weakness ; will not pass over that of which he disapproves. He has a clear soul, and a fearless, straightforward tongue. On the other hand he is not blunt and rude. His truth is courteous; his courtesy, truthful; never a humbug, yet, where he truthfully can, he prefers to say pleasant things. [J.R. Vernon, "Contemporary Review," 1869]

Eventually, in polite use, it came to mean a man in general, regardless of social standing. Related: Gentlemen. Gentleman's agreement is first attested 1929. Gentleman farmer recorded from 1749, "A man of means who farms on a large scale, employs hands, and does little or none of the work himself" [Craigie, "Dictionary of American English"].

中文词源

gentleman（绅士）：出身高贵的人

英语单词gentleman由gentle+man构成。单词gentle来自法语gentil，本意是“出身高贵的”，其词根gen表示“出身、种族、氏族”。因此，gentleman原本等同于nobleman（贵族）。后来，由于贵族通常都受到良好教养，举止文雅温柔，因此gentle又衍生出“温柔的、文雅的”之意。gentleman一词原本用来表示“贵族、绅士”，后来被用来作为对男人的一种尊称，可以用来称呼普通男士。

gentle：['dʒent(ə)l] adj.温柔的，文雅的vt.使温柔，使驯服

gentleman：['dʒent(ə)lmən] n.先生，绅士，有教养的人，有身分的人

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：gentleman 词源，gentleman 含义。

gentleman：绅士

来自词根gen, 生育，词源同generate. 原指出生高贵的，优雅的，后指绅士。