bourgeois

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /bʊɹʒˈwɑː/ UK /ˈbɔːʒ.wɑː/ See IPA manual

Freq #11048

Meanings

1

adj
conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class

A bourgeois mentality.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · conforming to the standards... conservative materialistic

More capitalistic burgher

Opposites

proletarian

Word family

Derived forms antibourgeoisbobobougiebourgeoisificationbourgeoisifybourgeoislybourgeoisnessbourgiede-bourgeoisifynarcobourgeoisnonbourgeoispostbourgeois

Related forms bourgeoisebourgeoisieembourgeoisementpetit-bourgeoispetty-bourgeois

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

bourgeois mentality
a way of thinking associated with middle-class conventions and material security

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Bourgeois entered English from French in the early 17th century. The French word ultimately derives from late Latin burgus, “castle,” and belongs to the same historical family as borough.

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French bourgeois (“a class of citizens who were wealthier members of the Third Estate”), from Old French burgeis (“town dweller”), from Frankish *burg, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *burgz (“stronghold; city”) (whence borough). Doublet of burgess; compare also burgish.

*bʰerǵʰ- Proto-Indo-European bourgeois French borgeis Old French *burg frk *burgz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# bourgeois

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /bʊɹʒˈwɑː/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbɔːʒ.wɑː/
**Frequency rank:** 11048

## Meanings
1. conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class

## Examples
- A bourgeois mentality.

## Synonyms
- conservative
- materialistic
- capitalistic
- burgher

## Antonyms
- proletarian

## Derived Forms
- antibourgeois
- bobo
- bougie
- bourgeoisification
- bourgeoisify
- bourgeoisly
- bourgeoisness
- bourgie
- de-bourgeoisify
- narcobourgeois
- nonbourgeois
- postbourgeois

## Related Forms
- bourgeoise
- bourgeoisie
- embourgeoisement
- petit-bourgeois
- petty-bourgeois

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰerǵʰ-
- Root: bourgeois
- Root: borgeis
- Root: *burg
- Root: *burgz

## Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French bourgeois (“a class of citizens who were wealthier members of the Third Estate”), from Old French burgeis (“town dweller”), from Frankish *burg, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *burgz (“stronghold; city”) (whence borough). Doublet of burgess; compare also burgish.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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