gentilhomme
gentleman
noun zhahn-tee-OM Rare
Origin: From gentil ('noble') + homme ('man'); calque of the concept of 'gentleman'.
Also means
nobleman
Usage Note
Gentilhomme historically referred to a man of noble birth, just below the ranks of the high aristocracy. Its irregular plural is gentilshommes (the 'l' is silent in both forms). Today it is largely literary or historical; the everyday word for a polite man is un homme distingué or simply un gentleman (borrowed back from English).
Examples
"C'était un vrai gentilhomme de province."
Natural Translation
He was a true country gentleman.
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