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

This creative evolution has expanded papier-mâché’s market appeal, with a new generation of clientele emerging – a group that includes interior designers, a local urban bourgeoisie, and international buyers. —Fahad Shah, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Apr. 2025

The company was started around the same time as other famous French stores like Le Bon Marché (1852) and La Samaritaine (1870), both of which, like Printemps, catered to the country’s growing bourgeoisie. —Lanna Apisukh, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2025

According to theory, words referred not to the world they were tasked with representing but only to other words in a ruthless system where meaning was elusive, reality an illusion and the self a romantic fiction perpetrated by the capitalist bourgeoisie. —Emily Eakin, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2025

Even before the Atlantic City Boardwalk became the iconic scene of the Roaring ‘20s New Jersey bourgeoisie, the Jersey Shore was already increasingly a vacation spot for the wealthy. —Andrew Depietro, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024

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
• the petite bourgeoisie

Rhymes for bourgeoisie

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

Kids Definition

bourgeoisie

noun

bour·​geoi·​sie ˌbu̇rzh-ˌwä-ˈzē 

: the middle class of society