Date: 1800-1900 Language: French Origin: prol??tariat, from Latin proletarius; PROLETARIAN proletariat noun pro???le???tar???i???at the proletariat [+ singular or plural verb]SS the class of workers who own no property and work for wages, especially in factories, building things etc - used in socialist writings ???proletarian adjective ???proletarian noun [countable] Definition from the Longman Di