Polite, refined, or respectable, often in an affected or pretentious way
Examples:
He rejected the genteel traditions of his upbringing.Her genteel manners impressed the committee.Despite hardships, he maintained a genteel appearance.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Gentile
/ˈdʒɛntʌɪl/
A person who is not Jewish
Examples:
Despite being gentile, he embraced the culture deeply.She found solace in gentile rituals and traditions.The store catered to both gentile and Jewish customers.
Synonyms:
This word has no synonyms
Antonyms:
This word has no antonyms
Ways to tell them apart:
Genteel contains two es in the middle, which can signify elegance and sophistication, just like the word suggests.
Gentile has an i, resembling an individual or identity, which matches its definition as referring to non-Jewish people.
Remember that genteel aligns with gentility, indicating refinement, while gentile focuses on a category of people.