English gentleman

An English gentleman is a man of refined manners, moral integrity, and social grace, traditionally associated with the British upper classes but extended to any man who embodies these qualities regardless of birth.

The term suggests someone courteous, honorable, and restrained—who keeps his word, treats others with respect, and maintains composure under pressure: He handled the insult like a true English gentleman.

The ideal carries colonial-era connotations of stiff-upper-lip reserve and understated conduct.