gentile Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a person who does not acknowledge your god
    heathen; infidel; pagan.
  2. noun a person who is not a member of one's own religion; used in this sense by Mormons and Hindus
  3. noun a Christian as contrasted with a Jew
    goy; non-Jew.
  4. noun a Christian
    • Christians refer to themselves as gentiles
  5. adjective belonging to or characteristic of non-Jewish peoples

WordNet

Gen"tile noun
Etymology
L. gentilis belonging to the same clan, stock, race, people, or nation; in opposition to Roman, a foreigner; in opposition to Jew or Christian, a heathen: cf. F. gentil. See Gentle, a.
Definitions
  1. One of a non-Jewish nation; one neither a Jew nor a Christian; a worshiper of false gods; a heathen. ✍ The Hebrews included in the term goyim, or nations, all the tribes of men who had not received the true faith, and were not circumcised. The Christians translated goyim by the L. gentes, and imitated the Jews in giving the name gentiles to all nations who were neither Jews nor Christians. In civil affairs, the denomination was given to all nations who were not Romans. Syn. -- Pagan; heathen. See Pagan.
Gen"tile adjective
Definitions
  1. Belonging to the nations at large, as distinguished from the Jews; ethnic; of pagan or heathen people.
  2. (Gram.) Denoting a race or country; as, a gentile noun or adjective.

Webster 1913