A gentlewoman (from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''gentilis'', belonging to a ''gens'', and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

'woman') in the original and strict sense is a woman of good

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

, analogous to the Latin ''generosus'' and ''generosa''. The closely related English word "

gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest c ...

" derives from the

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intelligib ...

''genterise'', ''gentelise'', with much of the meaning of the French ''noblesse'' and the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

''Adel'', but without the strict technical requirements of those traditions, such as

quarters of nobility Quarters of nobility is an expression used in the bestowal of hereditary titles and refers to the number of generations in typically an ahnentafel in which noble status has been held by a family regardless of whether a title was actually in use by ...

. By association with gentleman, the word can refer to: *A woman of gentle birth or high social position; *A woman attending a great lady (as, for example, the character in

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'' called only 'Gentlewoman', who attends Lady Macbeth). This might be a court appointment as the female equivalent to a

valet de chambre ''Valet de chambre'' (), or ''varlet de chambre'', was a court appointment introduced in the late Middle Ages, common from the 14th century onwards. Royal households had many persons appointed at any time. While some valets simply waited on t ...

. *A woman with good

manners Etiquette () is the set of norms of personal behaviour in polite society, usually occurring in the form of an ethical code of the expected and accepted social behaviours that accord with the conventions and norms observed and practised by a ...

and high standards of behaviour.

At court

From the time of

Queen Mary I Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, and as "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant opponents, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain from January 1556 until her death in 1558. Sh ...

and

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

, the title ''Gentlewoman of Her Majesty's Bedchamber'' was borne by ladies serving the Queen of England, later becoming

Lady of the Bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. They are ranked between the Mis ...

United States Congress

'Gentlewoman' also has a local usage in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, referring to a female member of the House, as in "the gentlewoman from

tate Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...

Some uses in literature

Enitan Bereola II Enitan O. Bereola II (born February 8, 1982) is a Nigerian American author, entrepreneur and public speaker based in San Jose, California.

, ''Gentlewoman: Etiquette for a Lady, from a Gentleman'' (2014) *

Isabella Whitney Isabella Whitney (most likely born between 1546 and 1548, died after 1624); fl. 1566–1600) was arguably the first female poet and professional woman writer in England. More specifically, Whitney is credited with being the first Englishwoman to h ...

, ''The Copy of a Letter, Lately Written in Meter by a Young Gentlewoman: to her Unconstant Lover'', ''ca.'' 1567 earliest known volume of English language secular poetry published by a woman *''

Jane Anger Jane Anger was an English author of the sixteenth century and the first woman to publish a full-length defence of her sex in English. The title of her defense, ''Jane Anger Her Protection For Women'' was published in 1589. In the late sixteenth ...

: Her Protection for Women to defend them against the scandalous reports of a late surfeiting Lover... Written by Jane Anger, Gentlewoman at London'' (1589) *

Richard Braithwaite Richard Bevan Braithwaite (15 January 1900 – 21 April 1990) was an English philosopher who specialized in the philosophy of science, ethics, and the philosophy of religion. Life Braithwaite was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire, son of the ...

's ''The English Gentlewoman'' (1631), followed his ''The English Gentleman'' (1630), both being books about acceptable behaviour.
The English Gentlewoman
' at britannica.com *"Helena, a Gentlewoman", in '' All's Well That Ends Well'' *''A Yorkshire Gentlewoman and Her Son'' by

George Chapman George Chapman (Hitchin, Hertfordshire, – London, 12 May 1634) was an English dramatist, translator and poet. He was a classical scholar whose work shows the influence of Stoicism. Chapman has been speculated to be the Rival Poet of Shak ...

(17th century) *"Quartilla, gentlewoman to Triphoena", in '' Holland's Leaguer'' (1631) by

Shackerley Marmion Shackerley Marmion (January 1603 – 1639), also Shakerley, Shakerly, Schackerley, Marmyon, Marmyun, or Mermion, was an early 17th-century dramatist, often classed among the Sons of Ben, the followers of Ben Jonson who continued his style of ...

*"Mrs Pleasant, a handsome young Gentlewoman of a good fortune" in ''

The Parson's Wedding ''The Parson's Wedding'' is a Caroline era stage play, a comedy written by Thomas Killigrew. Often regarded as the author's best play, the drama has sometimes been considered an anticipation of Restoration comedy, written a generation before th ...

'' (1641) by

Thomas Killigrew Thomas Killigrew (7 February 1612 – 19 March 1683) was an English dramatist and theatre manager. He was a witty, dissolute figure at the court of King Charles II of England. Life Killigrew was one of twelve children of Sir Robert Killigrew ...

Anne Bradstreet Anne Bradstreet ( née Dudley; March 8, 1612 – September 16, 1672) was the most prominent of early English poets of North America and first writer in England's North American colonies to be published. She is the first Puritan figure in ...

, ''

The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up into America, by a Gentlewoman in such Parts ''The Tenth Muse, lately Sprung up in America'' is a 1650 book of poetry by Anne Bradstreet. It was Bradstreet's only work published in her lifetime. Published purportedly without Bradstreet's knowledge, Bradstreet wrote to her publisher acknowled ...

'' (1647) *

Hannah Woolley Hannah Woolley, sometimes spelled Wolley, (1622 – c.1675) was an English writer who published early books on household management; she was probably the first person to earn a living doing this. Life Her mother and elder sisters were all skil ...

, ''The Gentlewoman's Companion; or, a Guide to the Female Sex'' (1673) *Eliza Smith, ''The Compleat Housewife: or, Accomplished Gentlewoman’s Companion'' (16th edition ed., 1758) *''The Gentlewoman's Magazine'' (18th century periodical) *Arvind Nehra, '' Letters of an Indian Judge to an English Gentlewoman'' (1934) * Charles Angell Bradford, ''Blanche Parry, Queen Elizabeth's Gentlewoman'' (1935) *

Margery Sharp Clara Margery Melita Sharp (25 January 1905 – 14 March 1991) was an English writer of 25 novels for adults, 14 children's novels, four plays, two mysteries, and numerous short stories. Her best-known work is ''The Rescuers'' series about a h ...

''The Foolish Gentlewoman'' (1948) *Langton, A., ''A Gentlewoman in Upper Canada'' (1950) * Mary Hallock Foote, ''A Victorian Gentlewoman in the Far West: The Reminiscences of Mary Hallock Foote'' (1972)

References

{{reflist

External links

*Maurice Keen
Heraldry and the Medieval Gentlewoman
at historytoday.com Court titles Gentry Women's social titles Terms for women

At court

United States Congress

Some uses in literature

See also

References

External links