The phrase "country-gentleman" can be replaced by various synonyms that denote a person belonging to the upper class and living in a rural area. Some of the suitable alternatives include rural aristocrat, landed gentry, squire, lord, baronet, and patrician. A rural aristocrat is someone who belongs to the highest social class in the countryside and is respected because of their wealth and status. The term landed gentry refers to a class of wealthy landowners who held great political and social power in the past. A squire is a landowner who is responsible for managing and overseeing the affairs of their estate. Similarly, a lord, baronet, or patrician refers to a member of the nobility who has rank and social status.