PROLETARIAN

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does proletarian mean? 

• PROLETARIAN (noun)
  The noun PROLETARIAN has 1 sense:

1. a member of the working class (not necessarily employed)

  Familiarity information: PROLETARIAN used as a noun is very rare.

• PROLETARIAN (adjective)
  The adjective PROLETARIAN has 2 senses:

1. the lowest class of citizens of ancient Rome who had no property
2. belonging to or characteristic of the proletariat

  Familiarity information: PROLETARIAN used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROLETARIAN (noun)

Meaning:

A member of the working class (not necessarily employed)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

prole; proletarian; worker

Context example:

workers of the world--unite!

Hypernyms ("proletarian" is a kind of...):

common man; common person; commoner (a person who holds no title)

Holonyms ("proletarian" is a member of...):

labor; labour; proletariat; working class (a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages)

• PROLETARIAN (adjective)

Meaning:

The lowest class of citizens of ancient Rome who had no property

Synonyms:

proletarian; propertyless

Also:

low-class; lower-class (occupying the lowest socioeconomic position in a society)

lowborn (of humble birth or origins)

Antonym:

patrician (of the hereditary aristocracy or ruling class of ancient Rome or medieval Europe; of honorary nobility in the Byzantine empire)

plebeian (of the common people of ancient Rome)

Meaning:

Belonging to or characteristic of the proletariat

Similar:

low-class; lower-class (occupying the lowest socioeconomic position in a society)