coterie
noun
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A coterie today is, in essence, a clique—that is, a tight-knit group sharing interests in common. Historically, however, coteries hung around agricultural fields, not garden parties. In medieval France, coterie referred to a group of feudal peasants who together held a parcel of land (that coterie comes from the Old French word for a singular peasant, cotier). Such associations of country people inspired later French speakers to use coterie more broadly and apply it to other kinds of clubs and societies. By the time the word began appearing in English texts in the early 1700s, its meaning had been extended to refer to any circle of people who spent a great deal of time together, who shared the same basic attitudes, and who held a passion for some particular topic. Coterie mostly appears now in formal speech and writing, and tends also to imply a bit of exclusivity—if you’re thinking of joining your local coterie, you may need to learn the secret handshake, or perhaps bone up on the latest techniques for harvesting barley.
Synonyms
Examples of coterie in a Sentence
Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
The Nobel Prize in Economics has transformed into an insider’s club—a group dominated by a small network of elite universities, particularly within the U.S., and a coterie of scholars trained by a select group of influential economists.
—James Broughel, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024
But in doing so, the campaign has outsourced a core function to a coterie of untested groups that operate independently.
—Brian Slodysko, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2024
There, Cohn will send over one of his boy toys to invite Donald to dine with him at his table with his coterie of gangster clients.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Coterie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coterie. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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coterie
noun
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