I. ˈbu̇rzh-ˌwä also ˈbu̇zh- or ˈbüzh- or bu̇rzh-ˈ adjective
Etymology: Middle French, from Old French burgeis townsman, from burc, borg town, from Latin burgus
Date: circa 1565
1. : of, relating to, or characteristic of the townsman or of the social middle class
2. : marked by a concern for material interests and respectability and a tendency toward mediocrity
3. : dominated by commercial and industrial interests : capitalistic
• bour·geois·ifi·ca·tion ˌbu̇(r)zh-ˌwä-zə-fə-ˈkā-shən noun
• bour·geois·ify bu̇(r)zh-ˈwä-zə-ˌfī verb
II. noun
( plural bourgeois -ˌwä(z), -ˈwä(z))
Date: circa 1674
1.
a. : burgher
b. : a middle-class person
2. : a person with social behavior and political views held to be influenced by private-property interest : capitalist
3. plural : bourgeoisie