Bourgeoisie definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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The middle class, often called by the French word bourgeoisie because it dwelt in towns or bourgs_, was strongest in England, the foremost commercial nation of Europe, was somewhat weaker in France, and very much weaker in less commercial countries, such as Germany, Austria, and Russia If the bourgeoisie was all-powerful in the world of business, it was influential in other spheres.

—A Political and Social History of Modern Europe V.1.

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Definitions (5)

American Heritage Dictionary (2)

noun The middle class.
noun In Marxist theory, the social group opposed to the proletariat in the class struggle.

Century Dictionary (1)

GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

WordNet (1)

Elsewhere on the web

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Examples (50)

If vacancies remained, children of the bourgeoisie were also accepted. — My Disillusionment in Russia
It argued that it was the "historic mission" of the capitalist bourgeoisie to establish markets throughout the world and that four lessons could be drawn from this fact: members of the proletariat do not share the same nationality as the bourgeoisie, the proletarian — Conservapedia - Recent changes [en]
The leaders of the Third Estate were the middle class, also known as the bourgeoisie. — Conservapedia - Recent changes [en]
This riddle of the bourgeoisie, "this strange class - capitalist by virtue of its future, but formed well before any kind of capitalism, under feudalism - known as the bourgeoisie?" is something that he is intrigued by. — Kafila
These conditions prevail where a feudal or semi-feudal class still controls and shapes the state, where the working class is too weak to take power, and where the bourgeoisie is the main opposition to the old order. — Asian