coterie
noun
Did you know?
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.
Examples of coterie in a Sentence
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
Trump embarked on Air Force One for the big meeting with a coterie of aides, family members and business world titans, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Tesla and SpaceX’s Elon Musk.
—Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
As an ambassador not just for France but for a coterie of brands that have inked lucrative deals with the young star, Mbappé is practiced.
—Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 12 May 2026
On a spring day in 1977, a coterie of filmmakers and moviegoers gathered in a shuttered bathhouse at Piedmont Park.
—Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coterie
Cite this Entry
“Coterie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coterie. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coterie
noun
