Crossword Genius

Is it cool to leave Eton College or is that just being courteous in an exaggerated way? (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

genteel

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'is it cool to leave eton college or is that just' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.

'being courteous in an exaggerated way?' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'being' could be 'gent' (gent is a kind of being) and 'gent' is found in the answer.
'way?' could be 'e' (Compass direction - East) and 'e' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'el' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for genteel that I've seen before include "Courtly, cultivated" , "Suited to polite society" , "Affectedly polite and refined" , "Exaggeratedly polite" , "Cultured; polite" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times and the Irish Times (Crosaire).
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