petit bourgeois

views updated

pet·it bour·geois / ˈpetē boŏrˈzhwä; pəˈtē/ • adj. of or characteristic of the lower middle class, esp. with reference to a perceived conventionalism and conservatism: the frail facade of petit bourgeois respectability.• n. (pl. pet·its bour·geois pronunc. same) a member of the lower middle class, esp. when perceived as conventional and conservative.

More From encyclopedia.com