A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1420-1450, 1515-1596
[0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Gentill, n. Pl. gentillys, -illis, -illes, -ilis, -iles, gentles. [ME. gentill (c. 1386), pl. gentyllys, gentils, f. Gentil(l,a.] One of gentle birth or rank. Usu. in pl. c1420 Wynt. v. 3739.
The kyrk … That comowne is … Tyll fre-man, gentill, and to thrall c1420 Ib. viii. 2586.
The sympellast … oure ost wyth in Has gret gentillis off hys kyn 1436 Coll. Aberd. & B. 394.
I gert rase ane assise of the gentillys of the cuntre 1450 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 151.
Syndry beande present of Angus … with mony nthir noble lordis and gentillis c1515 Asloan MS I. 227/22.
The schiref of Ayr with vther syndry gentillis of the Westland c1550 Rolland Court of Venus ii. 69.
Diuers gentillis will make to hir homage, And serue hir a1568 Scott xvi. 44.
For nobillis hes nocht ay renoun Nor gentillis ay the gayest goun 1596 Dalr. II. 339/10.
[The] quene mother with the Scotis gentles
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Gentill n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gentill_n>
