SKIP TO CONTENT

burgher

/ˈbʌrgər/
IPA guide

Other forms: burghers

Burgher is an old-fashioned term for a well-to-do resident of a town. Thanks to the wealthy burghers of your little city, the library got a fancy new cafe.

This word can be used in a humorous way to mean "member of the bourgeoisie," but it originally referred to an official rank. During medieval times, privileged members of a European town (often those who were male and owned property) were given the title of burgher. City governments were composed of burghers, or “freemen of a burgh or borough.”

Definitions of burgher
  1. noun
    a citizen of an English borough
    synonyms: burgess
    see moresee less
    type of:
    Englishman
    a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
  2. noun
    a member of the middle class
    synonyms: bourgeois
    see moresee less
    types:
    petit bourgeois
    a member of the lower middle class
    type of:
    common man, common person, commoner
    a person who holds no title
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘burgher'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family