gentlewoman
Woman of breeding
A gentlewoman is a woman of good social standing or refined manners—the female counterpart of a gentleman.
The term is old-fashioned, appearing mostly in historical contexts or period literature: The gentlewoman received callers in the drawing room.
Like gentleman, it originally implied noble birth but later broadened to suggest cultivation and breeding.
Person of noble birth
- duchessWoman of ducal rank
- countessFeminine noble rank
- baronessFemale holder of barony
- peeressWoman of noble rank
dame · marquise · marchioness · viscountess · highborn · blueblood · patrician · heiress
Fostering growth through care
- polishSmooth by rubbing
- sophisticationCultured elegance and complexity
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
- poiseGraceful, unshakable calm
taste · discernment · etiquette · deportment · breeding · civility · urbanity · savoir-faire
Female royal court attendant
- companionOne who keeps company
- chaperoneProtective adult companion
- governessPrivate household teacher
- duennaFemale guardian of youth
retinue · household · service · queen · princess · mistress · chambermaid · handmaiden
Of a prim era
- ElizabethanOf late 1500s England
- RegencyProxy rule period
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
- RenaissanceEuropean cultural reawakening
Tudor · Georgian · manor · parlor · drawing-room · calling-card · needlepoint · embroidery
Respectful, considerate behavior
- graciousnessCourteous, kind demeanor
- dignityInnate personal worth
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
- modestyAbsence of vanity
decorum · composure · reserve · discretion · tact · diplomacy · consideration · respectability
aristocrat
Person of noble birth
peeress · dame · marquise · marchioness · viscountess · highborn · blueblood · patrician · heiress · matron
cultivation
Fostering growth through care
- polishSmooth by rubbing
- sophisticationCultured elegance and complexity
- graceEffortless beauty of motion
poise · taste · discernment · etiquette · deportment · breeding · civility · urbanity · savoir-faire · finesse
lady-in-waiting
Female royal court attendant
duenna · retinue · household · service · queen · princess · mistress · chambermaid · handmaiden · entourage
Victorian
Of a prim era
- ElizabethanOf late 1500s England
- RegencyProxy rule period
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
Renaissance · Tudor · Georgian · manor · parlor · drawing-room · calling-card · needlepoint · embroidery · harpsichord
courtesy
Respectful, considerate behavior
- graciousnessCourteous, kind demeanor
- dignityInnate personal worth
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
modesty · decorum · composure · reserve · discretion · tact · diplomacy · consideration · respectability · virtue
- social ranksking, queen, emperor, empress, noble
- MacbethMacbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Duncan, Macduff
- court ladieslady-in-waiting, maid of honor, handmaiden, attendant, companion
- gendergender, male, masculine, feminine, man
- courtesycivility, decorum, etiquette, good manners, manners
- nobilityking, queen, prince, princess, duke
gentlewomancommoner
Non-noble person
peasant woman · peasant · serf · maidservant · charwoman