# gently

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈd͡ʒɛntli/ · frequency rank #6,249

## Definitions
1. In a manner characterized by gentleness
2. In a manner characterized by gentleness
3. In a manner characterized by gentleness
4. From a gentle or high-class family.
5. In the manner of one of gentle birth; in a manner that reflects the traditional virtues of the gentry: courteously, nobly.

## Etymology
From Middle English gentilly, gentlych, gentilliche, equivalent to gentle + -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology.

## Easily confused with
- **gents** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gently-vs-gents)
- **gentry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gently-vs-gentry)
- **greatly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gently-vs-greatly)
- **gent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gent-vs-gently)
- **gentle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gentle-vs-gently)
- **gantry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gantry-vs-gently)
- **gentile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gentile-vs-gently)

## Common misspellings (10)
`egntly`, `genlty`, `genntly`, `gentlly`, `gentlyy`, `genttly`, `gentyl`, `getnly`, `ggently`, `gnetly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gently