genteel

adjective
UK: /dʒenˈtiːl/
US: /dʒenˈtiːl/

  1. Well-mannered and refined; characteristic of the upper classes.

    1. She has a genteel way of speaking to people.
    2. The tea party had a genteel atmosphere, with soft music and polite conversation.

  2. Trying to appear of a high social class.

    1. They lived in genteel poverty after losing their fortune.
    2. Her genteel accent was affected; she grew up in a working-class neighborhood.

Synonyms

polite upper-class cultured affected well-bred pretentious refined

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "genteel" in English means: Well-mannered and refined; characteristic of the upper classes., Trying to appear of a high social class..

The phonetic transcription of "genteel" is /dʒenˈtiːl/ in British English and /dʒenˈtiːl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "genteel": polite, upper-class, cultured, affected, well-bred, pretentious, refined.

Example usage of "genteel": "She has a genteel way of speaking to people.". More examples on the page.