burgher

1 a citizen of an English borough [syn: burgess]

2 a member of the middle class [syn: bourgeois]

English

Etymology

Middle Dutch burgher; from Middle High German burger; from Old High German burgari "inhabitant of a fortress"; derivative of burg "fortress, citadel"

Pronunciation

• /ˈbɚgɝ/

  Rhymes: -ɜː(r)ɡə(r)

Homophones

• burger

Noun

1. a citizen of a borough or town
2. a prosperous member of the community; a middle class citizen (may connote complacency)
3. a member of either of two mixed race groups in Sri Lanka. The Portuguese Burghers were formed by intermarriage of Portuguese and native Sri Lankans during the Portuguese colonial period and are mostly Roman Catholic in religion. The Dutch Burghers were formed during the Dutch period and are mostly members of the Dutch Reformed Church. The two groups of Burghers are combined for government purposes including parliamentary representation. Many Burghers have migrated to other countries since Sri Lankan independence.
4. • a member of the medieval mercantile class
   • a citizen of a medieval city

Burgher may refer to:

• A formally defined class in medieval German cities, usually the only group from which city officials could be drawn. The equivalent in German of burgess or bourgeoisie.
• More loosely, a member of the urban middle class, or
• A resident of a burgh
• Burgher people, an ethnic group
• Michelle Burgher, Jamaican track and field athlete
• An enfranchised citizen of the South African Republic

See also

• Anti-Burgher
• Burger

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