proletarian
UK[ˌprəʊlɪˈteəriən]US[ˌproʊlɪˈteriən]
adj
relating to the proletariat; of or characteristic of the working class
n
a member of the proletariat; a working-class person
Morpheme Breakdown
prolet
arian
prolet
offspring
arian
one connected to
Etymology
the term 'proletarian' originates from the latin word prōlētārius, which in ancient rome designated a citizen of the lowest class who served the state not with property or taxes, but only by producing offspring (prōlēs). this literal sense of 'one who produces offspring' reflects their primary social function. the modern economic and political meaning emerged in the 19th century, notably through marxist theory, where it was adopted to denote the industrial working class who, possessing no capital, must sell their labor to survive. thus, the word's logic evolved from denoting a class valued for reproductive capacity to one defined by its relationship to the means of production.
Analysis
Structure: prolet (offspring) + arian (one connected to)
prolet (from latin prōlēs, meaning 'offspring'), arian (a suffix of latin origin via french, forming nouns meaning 'one connected to or believing in')
Examples
the party claimed to represent the true interests of the proletarian masses.
his novels often depict the harsh realities of proletarian life in the early 20th century.
she was a proud proletarian, having worked in the factories since she was sixteen.