Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

gentle

Cross references:
  1. soft                  
 
1. gen.tle \jent-*l\ \'jent-le-\ aj [ME gentil, fr. OF, fr. L gentilis of a 
   clan, of the same clan, fr.] gent-, gens clan, nation; akin to L gignere to 
   beget - more at KIN 1a: belonging to a family of high social station  
   archaic  1b: CHIVALROUS  1c: HONORABLE, DISTINGUISHED; specif : of or 
   relating  to a gentleman 1d: KIND, AMIABLE {~ reader}  1e: suited to a 
   person of high social station  2a: TRACTABLE, DOCILE  2b: not harsh, stern, 
   or violent : MILD  3: SOFT, DELICATE  4: MODERATE  - gent.ly av
2. gentle n : a person of gentle birth or status 
3. gentle \'jent-lin, -*l-in\ vt or gen.tling 1: to raise from the 
   commonalty : ENNOBLE  2a: to make mild, docile, soft, or moderate  2b: 
   MOLLIFY, PLACATE  2c: to stroke soothingly : PET