bourgeoisie

noun

bour·​geoi·​sie ˌbu̇(r)zh-ˌwä-ˈzē 

1

: middle class

members of the bourgeoisie

also, plural in construction : members of the middle class

how the bourgeoisie are represented in the novel

2

: a class or group of people with social behavior and political views held to be influenced by private-property interest : a social order dominated by capitalists or bourgeois (see bourgeois entry 2 sense 2)

Examples of bourgeoisie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When the arcade first opened, Europe was navigating industrialization, the rise of the urban bourgeoisie, and the emergence of modern ready-to-wear fashion. — Eleonora Giordani, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026

The state discovered that reforms had to be beneficial to all, and so the political mission had to be implementing education and acculturation as a means of solidifying the nascent bourgeoisie. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026

For a long time, the lifestyles and foibles of the modest bourgeoisie were a mainstay of art-house cinema, with urbane, upscale audiences happy to turn out to see versions of their own lives depicted on the screen. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026

His mother was born into Rome’s commercial bourgeoisie, but she had essentially been disinherited, nose-diving into the working class with a pair of children to raise. — Andrea Bajani, New Yorker, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from bourgeois

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bourgeoisie

• petite bourgeoisie
• petty bourgeoisie
• the bourgeoisie

Rhymes for bourgeoisie

• abc
• absentee
• addressee
• adoptee
• allottee
• amphorae
• amputee
• apc
• apogee
• appointee
• assessee
• assignee

Kids Definition

bourgeoisie

noun

bour·​geoi·​sie ˌbu̇rzh-ˌwä-ˈzē 

: the middle class of society