gentlewoman
/ˈdʒentlwʊmən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒentlwʊmən/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjen-tᵊl-ˌwu̇-mən/ (ame, mw)
gentlewoman — 名詞
- gentlewomansingular
- gentlewomenplural
1. A woman who comes from a family of high social rank, or whose personal conduct s
淑女
出身高貴或舉止優雅的女性
A woman who comes from a family of high social rank, or whose personal conduct shows the courtesy, truthfulness, and thoughtfulness expected of people in that position.
Lady Margaret oversaw the household with the quiet authority expected of a gentlewoman of her era.
Lady Margaret 以當代淑女應有的沉穩威儀管理家務。
class context — born into aristocratic position
When the airline lost Amara's luggage, she complained politely but firmly, acting like a true gentlewoman.
航空公司弄丟了 Amara 的行李時，她禮貌但堅定地申訴，表現得就像一位真正的淑女。
character-focused — polite conduct in adversity
The novel describes its heroine as a gentlewoman forced to work as a governess after her family lost its fortune.
小說描述女主角是一位在家族破產後被迫擔任家庭教師的淑女。
Aunt Hana was the kind of gentlewoman who never raised her voice and always remembered everyone's birthday.
Hana 阿姨是那種從不大聲說話、而且永遠記得每個人生日的淑女。
Her grandmother taught her the manners of a gentlewoman, from writing thank-you notes to receiving guests with grace.
她的祖母教她淑女的禮儀，從寫感謝函到優雅地接待賓客都有。
- lady
more common and less formal; 'lady' is widely used as a polite term for any woman, while 'gentlewoman' is restricted to high social rank or refined character
- aristocrat
focuses strictly on birth and social class, not on personal behavior
- dame
a British honorific title equivalent to a knighthood for women, not a general description of character
- commoner
contrasts on social class — a person without noble rank
用法筆記
Frequently used in historical or literary contexts; the class-based meaning ('born into the aristocracy') is older, while the character-based meaning ('a courteous, honest woman') is more common in modern English.