adv · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈd͡ʒɛntli/
General-American:[ˈd͡ʒɛ̃ɾ̃li]
General-American:[ˈd͡ʒɛnli]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:JH EH1 N T L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In a manner characterized by gentleness
Without strong force or quickness: softly, lightly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
In a manner characterized by gentleness
In a gentle manner; to a gentle degree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
In a manner characterized by gentleness
Quietly: without much noise or motion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adv
Meaning 4
From a gentle or high-class family.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Examples
gently born
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adv
Meaning 5
In the manner of one of gentle birth; in a manner that reflects the traditional virtues of the gentry: courteously, nobly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adverb
Meaning 6
with little weight or force
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
she kissed him lightly on the forehead
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lightly, softly
Antonyms: none provided
7
adverb
Meaning 7
in a gradual manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a gently sloping terrain
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adverb
Meaning 8
in a gentle manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he talked gently to the injured animal
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mildly
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English gentilly, gentlych, gentilliche, equivalent to gentle + -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology.
Across languages
Translations
59 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
կամաց
(kamacʻ)
— in a gentle manner
Bulgarian:
нежно
(nežno)
— in a gentle manner
Bulgarian:
внимателно
(vnimatelno)
— in a gentle manner
Catalan:
suaument
— in a gentle manner
Dutch:
zachtjes
— in a gentle manner
Dutch:
voorzichtig
— in a gentle manner
Dutch:
zachtaardig
— in a gentle manner
Esperanto:
milde
— in a gentle manner
Finnish:
hellävaraisesti
— in a gentle manner
Finnish:
lempeästi
— in a gentle manner
Finnish:
vienosti
— in a gentle manner
Finnish:
hellävaroen
— in a gentle manner
Galician:
suavemente
— in a gentle manner
Georgian:
რბილად
(rbilad)
— in a gentle manner
Georgian:
მშვიდად
(mšvidad)
— in a gentle manner
Georgian:
წყნარად
(c̣q̇narad)
— in a gentle manner
Georgian:
ნაზად
(nazad)
— in a gentle manner
German:
sanft
— in a gentle manner
Hungarian:
finoman
— in a gentle manner
Ingrian:
veenost
— in a gentle manner
Italian:
soavemente
— in a gentle manner
Italian:
dolcemente
— in a gentle manner
Italian:
blandamente
— in a gentle manner
Italian:
delicatamente
— in a gentle manner
Italian:
gentilmente
— in a gentle manner
Italian:
sordamente
— in a gentle manner
Japanese:
そっと
(sotto)
— in a gentle manner
Korean:
부드럽게
(budeureopge)
— in a gentle manner
Korean:
살포시
(salposi)
— in a gentle manner
Latin:
leniter
— in a gentle manner
Latin:
lene
— in a gentle manner
Latin:
molliter
— in a gentle manner
Malay:
perlahan
— in a gentle manner
Manchu:
ᠰᡝᡵ ᠰᡝᠮᡝ
(ser seme)
— in a gentle manner
Persian:
یواش
(yavâš)
— in a gentle manner
Plautdietsch:
behutsom
— in a gentle manner
Polish:
łagodnie
— in a gentle manner
Polish:
delikatnie
— in a gentle manner
Portuguese:
gentilmente
— in a gentle manner
Prakrit:
𑀈𑀲𑀻𑀲𑀺
(īsīsi)
— in a gentle manner
Russian:
не́жно
(néžno)
— in a gentle manner
Serbo-Croatian:
нежно
— in a gentle manner
Serbo-Croatian:
њежно
— in a gentle manner
Serbo-Croatian:
nežno
— in a gentle manner
Serbo-Croatian:
nježno
— in a gentle manner
Spanish:
mansamente
— in a gentle manner
Spanish:
suavemente
— in a gentle manner
Spanish:
delicadamente
— in a gentle manner
Spanish:
gentilmente
— in a gentle manner
Spanish:
tiernamente
— in a gentle manner
Spanish:
cuidadosamente
— in a gentle manner
Swedish:
ömt
— in a gentle manner
Tatar:
әкрен
(äkren)
— in a gentle manner
Telugu:
నింపాదిగా
(nimpādigā)
— in a gentle manner
Thai:
เบา
(bao)
— in a gentle manner
Ukrainian:
ні́жно
(nížno)
— in a gentle manner
Ukrainian:
м'я́ко
(mʺjáko)
— in a gentle manner
Ukrainian:
обере́жно
(oberéžno)
— in a gentle manner
