petit bourgeois

[ puh-tee boo r-zhwah; pet-ee boo r-zhwah, boo r-zhwah; French puh-tee boor-zhwa ]
/ pəˈti bʊərˈʒwɑ; ˈpɛt i ˈbʊər ʒwɑ, bʊərˈʒwɑ; French pə ti burˈʒwa /

noun, plural pe·tits bour·geois [puh-tee boo r-zhwahz; pet-ee boo r-zhwahz, boo r-zhwahz; French puh-tee boor-zhwa] /pəˈti bʊərˈʒwɑz; ˈpɛt i ˈbʊər ʒwɑz, bʊərˈʒwɑz; French pə ti burˈʒwa/.

a person who belongs to the petite bourgeoisie.

Origin of petit bourgeois

Borrowed into English from French around 1855–60

OTHER WORDS FROM petit bourgeois

pe·tit-bour·geois, adjective

Words nearby petit bourgeois

British Dictionary definitions for petit bourgeois

petit bourgeois
/ (ˈpɛtɪ ˈbʊəʒwɑː, French pəti burʒwa) /

noun plural petits bourgeois (ˈpɛtɪ ˈbʊəʒwɑːz, French pəti burʒwa)

Also called: petite bourgeoisie, petty bourgeoisie the section of the middle class with the lowest social status, generally composed of shopkeepers, lower clerical staff, etc
a member of this stratum

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of the petit bourgeois, esp indicating a sense of self-righteousness and a high degree of conformity to established standards of behaviour