A woman of gentle or noble birth; a woman of refined manners, education, and social standing.
Compound of 'gentle' (Latin gentilis) and 'woman' (Old English wifman). The term emerged in Middle English as the feminine equivalent of 'gentleman,' reflecting the parallel social structures for men and women of upper classes.
Interestingly, 'gentlewoman' never quite became as universally respected a term as 'gentleman'—literature shows gentlewomen were often portrayed as more fragile or dependent, revealing how even identical social status was experienced differently based on gender.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.