English
bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie comes from French bourgeois ‘a class of citizens who were wealthier members…’, and goes back to Old French borgeis ‘town dweller’.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400borgeis‘town dweller’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600bourgois
- Frenchc. 1600–presentbourgeois‘a class of citizens who were wealthier members of the Third Estate’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentbourgeoisie
- Englishearliest quotation 1989same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400borgeis‘town dweller’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600bourgois
- Frenchc. 1600–presentbourgeois‘a class of citizens who were wealthier members of the Third Estate’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentbourgeoisie
- Englishearliest quotation 1989same form
Earliest quotation: 1989, 1988 October, Triumph and Tragedy: A Portrait of I.V. Stalin: “The Pharisees of the bourgeoisie love the saying: de…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- ‘to be elevated, up high’
force, comfortable, fort, berry, barrow, brie, forcible, brahmin, brahmana, bergh, burgher, bourguignon, 21 more
through Proto-Germanic *burgz ‘fortification, stronghold’
through Proto-West Germanic *burg ‘fortification’
through Latin burgus ‘fort’
through Late Latin burgensis ‘pertaining to a town or city’
Today it means
noun A class of citizens who were wealthier members of the third estate.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French borgeis / bourgeoisie