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bourgeois
1[ boor-zhwah, boor-zhwah, boo-zhwah; French boor-zhwa ]
/ bʊərˈʒwɑ, ˈbʊər ʒwɑ, ˈbu ʒwɑ; French burˈʒwa /
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noun, plural bour·geois.
a member of the middle class.
a person whose political, economic, and social opinions are believed to be determined mainly by concern for property values and conventional respectability.
a shopkeeper or merchant.
adjective
belonging to, characteristic of, or consisting of the middle class.
conventional; middle-class.
dominated or characterized by materialistic pursuits or concerns.
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Origin of bourgeois
11555–65; <Middle French; Old French borgeisburgess
Words nearby bourgeois
Bourbons, bourdon, Bourdon gauge, Bourdon-tube gauge, bourg, bourgeois, bourgeoise, bourgeoisie, bourgeoisify, bourgeon, Bourges
Other definitions for bourgeois (2 of 3)
bourgeois2
[ ber-jois ]
/ bərˈdʒɔɪs /
noun Printing.
a size of type approximately 9-point, between brevier and long primer.
Origin of bourgeois
2First recorded in 1815–25; perhaps from a printer so named
Other definitions for bourgeois (3 of 3)
Bourgeois
[ boor-zhwah, boor-zhwah, boo-zhwah; French boor-zhwa ]
/ bʊərˈʒwɑ, ˈbʊər ʒwɑ, ˈbu ʒwɑ; French burˈʒwa /
noun
Lé·on Vic·tor Au·guste [ley-awnveek-tawroh-gyst], /leɪˈɔ̃ vikˈtɔr oʊˈgyst/, 1851–1925, French statesman: Nobel Peace Prize 1920.
Louise, 1911–2010, U.S. sculptor, born in France.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use bourgeois in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for bourgeois (1 of 3)
bourgeois1
/ (ˈbʊəʒwɑː, bʊəˈʒwɑː) often derogatory /
noun plural -geois
a member of the middle class, esp one regarded as being conservative and materialistic or (in Marxist thought) a capitalist exploiting the working class
a mediocre, unimaginative, or materialistic person
adjective
characteristic of, relating to, or comprising the middle class
conservative or materialistic in outlooka bourgeois mentality
(in Marxist thought) dominated by capitalists or capitalist interests
Derived forms of bourgeois
bourgeoise (ˈbʊəʒwɑːz, bʊəˈʒwɑːz), fem nWord Origin for bourgeois
C16: from Old French borjois, burgeis burgher, citizen, from bourg town; see burgess
British Dictionary definitions for bourgeois (2 of 3)
bourgeois2
/ (bəˈdʒɔɪs) /
noun
(formerly) a size of printer's type approximately equal to 9 point
Word Origin for bourgeois
C19: perhaps from its size, midway between long primer and brevier
British Dictionary definitions for bourgeois (3 of 3)
Bourgeois
/ (French burʒwa) /
noun
Léon Victor Auguste . (leɔ̃ viktɔr oɡyst). 1851–1925, French statesman; first chairman of the League of Nations: Nobel peace prize 1920
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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