gentle
English
Etymology
From Middle English gentil (“courteous, noble”), from Old French gentil (“high-born, noble”), from Latin gentilis (“of the same family or clan”), from gens (“[Roman] clan”)
Pronunciation
Adjective
gentle (comparative gentler, superlative gentlest)
- Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition
- Stuart is a gentle man, he would never hurt you.
- Soft and mild rather than hard or severe
- I felt something touch my shoulder, it was gentle and a little slimy.
- Docile and easily managed
- We had a gentle swim in the lake.
- Gradual rather than steep or sudden
- The walks in this area have a gentle incline.
- Polite and respectful rather than rude
- He gave me a gentle reminder that we had to hurry up.
Synonyms
- (polite): friendly, kind, polite, respectful
Antonyms
- (polite): rude
Derived terms
Translations
Tender and amiable
Soft and mild rather than hard or severe
Docile and easily managed
Gradual rather than steep or sudden
Polite and respectful rather than rude
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Verb
gentle (third-person singular simple present gentles, present participle gentling, simple past and past participle gentled)
- (intransitive) to become gentle
- (transitive) to ennoble
- (transitive, animal husbandry) to break; to tame; to domesticate
- (transitive) To soothe; to calm.
Noun
gentle (plural gentles)