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bourgeois definition

bour·geois (bo̵or z̸hwä′, bo̵or′z̸hwä′)

noun pl. bourgeois bour·geois′ (-z̸hwä′)

  1. Obsolete a freeman of a medieval town
  2. a self-employed person, as a shopkeeper or businessman
  3. a member of the bourgeoisie, or middle class
  4. a person whose beliefs, attitudes, and practices are conventionally middle-class

Etymology: Fr < OFr burgeis < ML burgensis < burgus, borgus, town < OFr borc or Frank *burg, bourg

adjective

of or characteristic of a bourgeois or the bourgeoisie; middle-class; also used variously to mean conventional, smug, materialistic, etc.

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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