A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1420-1650
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Gentil woman, Gentil(l)woman, n. Also: gentel, gentle, jentill, -yll. [ME. gentil woman (c 1230), after OF. gentil femme.] A gentlewoman. (Usually as two words.)(a) c1420 Wynt. iv. 139.
A lady fre, A gentill woman of gud fame 1456 Hay I. 252/12.
Sayand that … gentill wommen can nocht wele juge in dede of armes c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 289.
With gentill wemen hapnyt thaim to pas Off Ingland born 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 297/22.
All ladyes, damesollis, aibd gentill wemen of ane gud fame 1514 Acts Lords of Council MS. XXVI. 87.
The quhilk Sybell … was nother madene, mannis wiffe nor wedew bot ane anelape gentillwoman 1539 Treasurer's Accounts VII. 197.
Thre chawfferonis of gold to gentill wemenne 1566 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 101.
Ane gentillwomannis sadill 1570 Reg. Morton I. 51.
Seildome hes bene sene that gentilvemenis geir … suld be thus trublit and stayit for thair huisbandis dettis 1603 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 221 b.
James Glen, laquey to the dames and gentilwemen c1650 Spalding II. 379.
With tua gentilwemen attending the youngladieattrib. 1587 Edinburgh Testaments xviii. 54.
Four craipis of siluer for gentill wemen huidis(b) 1539 Treasurer's Accounts VII. 267.
For drauchtis of the jentill wemennis cofferis 1549 Protocol Book of J. Crawford 37.
[To] cleyth the said … in bed & bak as efferis to ane jentyll voman to haif
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"Gentil Woman n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gentil_woman>
