/proh"li ter'ee/ , adj., n., pl. proletaries .
proletarian.
[ 1570-80; proletarius belonging to the lowest class of Roman citizens, i.e., those who contributed to the state only through their offspring, equiv. to prolet- (akin to proles offspring; pro- PRO- 1 + -oles (see ADULT)) + -arius -ARY ]