adjective
bougie
BOO-zhee
Bougie (adjective) means Fancy, expensive and a bit self-consciously upmarket, especially in a way that shows someone is trying to seem better off than they are. Example: “Fifteen pounds for a sandwich is far too bougie for a Tuesday.”
adjective
1
informal Fancy, expensive and a bit self-consciously upmarket, especially in a way that shows someone is trying to seem better off than they are.
"Fifteen pounds for a sandwich is far too bougie for a Tuesday."
"She has gone very bougie since the promotion."
noun
1
informal A person with expensive tastes or middle-class pretensions.
"The café is full of bougies with laptops."
2
technical In medicine, a thin flexible instrument passed into a body passage to widen it or to check that it is clear.
"The registrar passed a bougie to secure the airway."
How to use bougie
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFancy in a slightly show-off way.
When to use it
Slang, usually teasing rather than hostile, and can be self-mocking: my bougie little coffee habit.
Memory tip
Say it BOO-zhee. The medical instrument shares the spelling but is a completely separate word in everyday use.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
so bougie
bougie taste
bougie neighbourhood
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Fifteen pounds for a sandwich is far too _____ for a Tuesday.
Etymology
A shortening of bourgeois, from French, meaning middle-class.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for bougie
See all rhymes for bougie →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between bougie and boujee?
They are two spellings of the same slang idea, both traced back to bourgeois. Bougie usually carries a light mocking edge, meaning fancy or pretentious, while boujee, the spelling popularised through hip-hop, more often means genuinely luxurious and is used approvingly.
Is calling someone bougie an insult?
It is usually a gentle tease rather than a real insult, aimed at expensive or fussy tastes. Said sharply it can imply someone is a snob who has forgotten where they came from, so tone matters.
What is the meaning of bougie?
"bougie" (adjective) means fancy, expensive and a bit self-consciously upmarket, especially in a way that shows someone is trying to seem better off than they are.
What is another word for bougie?
Other words for "bougie" include upmarket, posh, fancy, pretentious, high-end.
