Gentilize

/ˈdʒɛn.tə.laɪz/ verb

Definition

To make gentile or cause someone to adopt the practices and customs of non-Jewish peoples.

Etymology

From gentile plus the verb-forming suffix -ize. Gentile comes from Latin gentilis meaning 'of a nation or people.' The term emerged in religious studies to describe cultural or religious transformation.

Kelly Says

Paradoxically, 'gentilize' and 'gentility' sound similar but have totally different origins—one's about social refinement (from noble families), the other about religious/cultural identity. Language sometimes uses similar sounds for unrelated concepts.

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