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Webster 1913 Edition

Burgher

Burgh′er

,
Noun.
[From
burgh
; akin to D.
burger
, G.
bürger
, Dan.
borger
, Sw.
borgare
. See
Burgh
.]
1.
A freeman of a burgh or borough, entitled to enjoy the privileges of the place; any inhabitant of a borough.
2.
(Eccl. Hist.)
A member of that party, among the Scotch seceders, which asserted the lawfulness of the burgess oath (in which burgesses profess “the true religion professed within the realm”), the opposite party being called antiburghers.
☞ These parties arose among the Presbyterians of Scotland, in 1747, and in 1820 reunited under the name of the “United Associate Synod of the Secession Church.”

Webster 1828 Edition

Burgher

BURGH'ER

,
Noun.
[from burg.] An inhabitant of a burgh or borough, who enjoys the privileges of the borough of which he is a free man. In America, it is applied to any native citizen, especially in the state of New York.

Definition 2024

Burgher

Burgher

See also: burgher

English

Alternative forms

Noun

Burgher ‎(plural Burghers)

  1. A member of a mixed race ethnic group of Sri Lanka, consisting of descendants of European colonists and local people.

Translations

burgher

burgher

See also: Burgher

English

Noun

burgher ‎(plural burghers)

  1. A citizen of a borough or town, especially one belonging to the middle class.
    1. A member of the medieval mercantile class.
    2. A citizen of a medieval city.
  2. A prosperous member of the community; a middle class citizen (may connote complacency).

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology

From Middle Dutch burgher (Modern Dutch: burger); from Middle High German burger (Modern German: Bürger); from Old High German burgari ‎(“inhabitant of a fortress”); derivative of burg ‎(“fortress, citadel”), from Proto-Germanic *burgz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- ‎(“fortified elevation”). Compare also Old English burgwaras ‎(“inhabitants of a burg, burghers, citizens”) and Croatian purger. More at borough.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɝɡɚ/
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(r)ɡə(r)
  • Homophone: burger

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