plural gentries
1
a
: upper or ruling class : aristocracy
b
: a class whose members are entitled to bear a coat of arms though not of noble rank
especially
: wealthy landowners having such status
2
: people of a specified class or kind : folks
no real heroes or heroines among the academic gentry—
R. G. Hanvey
R. G. Hanvey3
a
: the condition or rank of a gentleman
b
obsolete
: the qualities appropriate to a person of gentle (see gentle entry 1 sense 4a) birth
especially
: courtesy
Examples of gentry in a Sentence
poor tenant farmers working for landed gentry
the old-line yachting gentry frowns on vulgar displays of wealth
Recent Examples on the Web
Jane Austen transformed the world with stories detailing societal restrictions and class disparities among the 18th-century English landed gentry.
—Cat Sposato, AFAR Media, 17 Jan. 2025
She as the most gentry eyes and a delightful personality.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 15 Jan. 2025
She as the most gentry eyes and a delightful personality.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 15 Jan. 2025
The Whitehaven neighborhood had developed in the late 19th century and attracted as residents the Memphis gentry.
—Michael T. Bertrand, The Conversation, 5 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for gentry
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Cat Sposato, AFAR Media, 17 Jan. 2025
She as the most gentry eyes and a delightful personality.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 15 Jan. 2025
She as the most gentry eyes and a delightful personality.
—Trish Stinger, Kansas City Star, 15 Jan. 2025
The Whitehaven neighborhood had developed in the late 19th century and attracted as residents the Memphis gentry.
—Michael T. Bertrand, The Conversation, 5 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for gentry
Cite this Entry
“Gentry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gentry. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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