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Synonyms

proletarian

American  
[proh-li-tair-ee-uhn] / ˌproʊ lɪˈtɛər i ən /

adjective

  1. pertaining or belonging to the proletariat.

  2. (in ancient Rome) belonging to the lowest or poorest class of the people.


noun

  1. a member of the proletariat.

proletarian British  
/ ˈprəʊlɪtərɪ, -trɪ, ˌprəʊlɪˈtɛərɪən /

adjective

  1. of, relating, or belonging to the proletariat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a member of the proletariat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • half-proletarian adjective
  • nonproletarian adjective
  • proletarianism noun
  • proletarianly adverb
  • proletarianness noun

Etymology

Origin of proletarian

First recorded in 1650–60; proletary, -an

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This too may be characteristic of a Dame, although pairing that with her unstuffy humor and refreshingly proletarian quick wit engendered in us a familiarity.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2024

The party declared him a “great proletarian revolutionary” and “long-tested Communist fighter.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2022

“In its often tearful compassion, its eloquent rage and its vengeful delight in proletarian snook-cocking, ‘Oh Happy Day’ deserves to be called Dickensian,” wrote literary scholar Peter Conrad, reviewing the book for Britain’s Observer newspaper.

From Washington Post • Oct. 19, 2022

Lamar, 34, is an astonishing technician, a keen observer of Black life, a proletarian superhero, an artist who reckons with moral weight in his work.

From New York Times • May 16, 2022

There was a whole chain of separate departments dealing with proletarian literature, music, drama, and entertainment generally.

From "1984" by George Orwell