petite bourgeoisie

[ puh-teet boor-zhwah-zee; French puh-teet boor-zhwa-zee ]

noun

1. the portion of the bourgeoisie having the least wealth and lowest social status; the lower middle class.

Word History and Origins

Origin of petite bourgeoisie¹

Borrowed into English from French around 1915–20

Example Sentences

By converting the peasants into a Petite Bourgeoisie, it threatened to postpone to an indefinite date the triumph of Socialism.

From Project Gutenberg

Below these are the petite bourgeoisie, who are mostly shopkeepers, clerks, and people in various employments.

From Project Gutenberg