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proletariat definition

pro·le·tari·at (prō′lə ter′ē ət)

noun

  1. the class of lowest status in ancient Roman society
  2. Rare the class of lowest status in any society
  3. the working class; esp., the industrial working class

Etymology: Fr prolétariat < L proletarius: see proletary

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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