"one who is not a Jew," c. 1400; earlier "one who is not a Christian, a pagan" (late 14c.), from Late Latin noun use of Latin gentilis "of the same family or clan, of or belonging to a Roman gens," from gens (genitive gentis) "race, clan" (see genus, and compare gentle).
The Latin adjective also meant "of or belonging to the same nation," hence, as a noun, gentiles (plural) might mean "men of family; persons belonging to the same family; fellow countrymen, kinsmen," but also "foreigners, barbarians" (as opposed to Romans), those bound only by the Jus Gentium, the "law of nations," defined as "the law that natural reason establishes among all mankind and is followed by all peoples alike."
The Latin word then was used in the Vulgate to translate Greek ethnikos (see ethnic), from ta ethne "the nations," which translated Hebrew ha goyim "the (non-Jewish) nations" (see goy). Hence in Late Latin, after the Christianization of Rome, gentilis also could mean "pagans, heathens," as opposed to Christians. Based on Scripture, gentile also was used by Mormons (1847) and Shakers (1857) to refer to those not of their profession.
实用例句
1. The other parts of Dr Gentile's study looked at established behaviour.
Gentile博士 这次研究的其他部分着眼于既定行为.
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2. Gentile was a former American gangster who had worked for the Allied Military Government in Sicily.
Gentile是美国的前强盗,他曾为西西里的前盟军政府工作过.
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3. In short, the end of the gentile constitution was approaching.
一句话, 氏族制度已经走到了尽头.
来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
4. Right to bear the gentile name.
使用氏族名称的权利.
来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
5. A gentile name confers of itself gentile rights.
