bourgeoisie

noun

bour·​geoi·​sie ˌbu̇(r)zh-ˌwä-ˈzē How to pronounce bourgeoisie (audio)
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 custom has its roots back in the 1880s when Madrid’s bourgeoisie adopted the French tradition of enjoying grapes and champagne on New Year's Eve. Boutayna Chokrane, Vogue, 1 Dec. 2023 The tall, serious Virtanen projects an impressive gravity and confidence well-suited to Stiller, who believed his connections in Helsinki’s 2000-strong Jewish community and among the local bourgeoisie and government officials would carry the day. Alissa Simon, Variety, 29 Sep. 2023 In a sense, almost all of Manet’s and Degas’s best work is about repose, the glorious right of the nineteenth-century French bourgeoisie and the seed from which a thousand entertainments sprouted: gardens, promenades, dances, horse races, picnics, prostitutes, bars. Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2023 New private banks and other financial institutions helped strengthen an Islamist bourgeoisie in Egypt and an Islamist military elite in Sudan. Khalid Mustafa Medani, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2022 These men and women were members of the Jewish grand bourgeoisie whose immigrant forefathers had acquired great fortunes in banking and trade and moved to France because of the freedoms and business opportunities the country offered. David A. Bell, The New York Review of Books, 1 July 2021 Built in the 10th century, the grand castle once belonged to one of the region’s largest bourgeoisie. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 3 May 2023 After ignoring the class war raging outside of his swanky villa’s window, Bologne finally decides to join the efforts of the proletariat against the iron fist of the crown and her bourgeoisie. Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 21 Apr. 2023 From the vantage point of a high-rolling hedge fund manager, anybody earning less than $10 million resides strictly within the petit bourgeoisie. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 24 Mar. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bourgeoisie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from bourgeois

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bourgeoisie was in 1774

Dictionary Entries Near bourgeoisie

Cite this Entry

“Bourgeoisie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bourgeoisie. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

bourgeoisie

noun
bour·​geoi·​sie ˌbu̇rzh-ˌwä-ˈzē How to pronounce bourgeoisie (audio)
: the middle class of society
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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