Bourgeois

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈbɔːʒ.wɑː/, /ˈbʊəʒ.wɑː/
• US IPA: /buɹʒ.ˈwɑː/, /ˈbuɹʒ.wɑː/

Alternative forms

• burgeois

Origin

Borrowed from French bourgeois ("a class of citizens who were wealthier members of the Third Estate"), from Anglo-Norman burgeis ("town dweller"), from Old French borjois, from borc ("town"), from Proto-Germanic *burgz ("fortress"), from Proto-Indo-European *bÊ°rgÊ°- ("fortified elevation"). The path from Proto-Germanic to Old French is unclear. Perhaps via Frankish *burg or Late Latin *burgus, or possibly both. See also the related word burgess.

Full definition of bourgeois

Adjective

1. Of or relating to the middle class, especially its attitudes and conventions.
2. Belonging to the middle class.
3. Conventional, conservative and materialistic.bourgeois opinion
4. (Marxism) Of or relating to capitalist exploitation of the proletariat.

Derived terms

• bougie
• bourgeoisification
• bourgie

Synonyms

• (conventional, conservative) square

Noun

1. (political, collectively) The middle class.
2. (rare) An individual member of the middle class.
3. A person with bourgeois values and attitudes.
4. An individual member of the bourgeoisie, one of the three estates.
5. (Marxism) Anyone deemed to be an exploiter of the proletariat, a capitalist.
6. (printing) A size of type between long primer and brevier.

Related terms

• bourgeoise
• bourgeoisie
• embourgeoisement