Definition

Noun: A valet; a personal male servant who attends to the wardrobe, grooming, and other personal needs of his male employer. The term implies a high degree of discretion, formality, and personal service, often associated with a traditional, upper-class household.

Usage

The term "gentleman's gentleman" is a formal and somewhat old-fashioned synonym for a valet. It describes a specific, private servant role focused on personal care, distinct from butlers or general manservants. It is often used in historical or literary contexts.

Examples

• In P.G. Wodehouse's stories, Jeeves is the quintessential gentleman's gentleman to Bertie Wooster.
• The earl traveled with his gentleman's gentleman, who ensured his clothes were perfectly pressed and his luggage was in order.
• He hired not just a driver, but a true gentleman's gentleman to manage his daily attire and appointments.

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can be used metaphorically to describe someone who performs meticulous, personal services with great loyalty and discretion, even outside a domestic context.
  • The executive's assistant was more than a secretary; he was a veritable gentleman's gentleman, anticipating every need.

Variants and Related Words

• Valet (n): The more common modern term for a gentleman's personal attendant.
• Manservant (n): A more general term for a male servant.
• Personal attendant (n): A broader, modern phrase for someone providing personal care services.

Synonyms

• Valet
• Personal man
• Body servant (archaic)

Antonyms

• Employer
• Master

Related Idioms/Phrases

• In service: A phrase describing the profession of being a domestic servant, which would include a gentleman's gentleman.
  • His family had been in service for generations, with his father being a butler and he a gentleman's gentleman.

Noun

1. a manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer
   • Jeeves was Bertie Wooster's man