From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gentry \Gen"try\, n. [OE. genterie, gentrie, noble birth,
nobility, cf. gentrise, and OF. gentelise, genterise, E.
gentilesse, also OE. genteleri high-mindedness. See {Gent},
a., {Gentle}, a.]
1. Birth; condition; rank by birth. [Obs.] "Pride of
gentrie." --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
She conquers him by high almighty Jove,
By knighthood, gentry, and sweet friendship's oath.
--Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. People of education and good breeding; in England, in a
restricted sense, those between the nobility and the
yeomanry. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
3. Courtesy; civility; complaisance. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
To show us so much gentry and good will. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
gentry
n 1: the most powerful members of a society [syn: {gentry},
{aristocracy}]
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