Retinue comes via Middle English from the Anglo-French verb retenir, meaning "to retain or keep in one's pay or service." Another retenir descendant is retainer, which has among its meanings "one who serves a person of high position or rank." In the 14th century, such retainers typically served a noble or royal of some kind, and retinue referred to a collection of retainers—that is, the noble's servants and companions. Nowadays, the word retinue is often used with a bit of exaggeration to refer to the assistants, guards, publicists, and other people who accompany a high-profile individual in public. You might also hear such a collection of folks called a suite or entourage, two other words that come from French.
the king and his retinue
a pop star traveling with his retinue
Recent Examples on the WebStanding stoutly on a granite rock just off Wilshire Boulevard in MacArthur Park, Harrison Gray Otis has lost his retinue.—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024 Much to her surprise, instead of traveling with a retinue or even a secretary, the Chancellor was alone.—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 June 2023 The Virgo cluster surrounds itself with a retinue of smaller groups, pulling each one toward it with its immense gravity.—Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 24 Apr. 2023 Royal Island, a swanky Caribbean oasis in The Bahamas, awaits its next king or queen and their lucky retinue of family and friends.—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 Jan. 2024 The rising of Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and its retinue of stars led the Egyptians to invent the 24-hours timekeeping system still used today.—TIME, 15 Dec. 2023 Unfortunately, the lion and the bull began to spend so much time in conversation that the lion stopped hunting and the animals in the retinue began to starve.—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023 Sircar and other members of the opposition boycotted the ceremony, during which Modi entered the lower-house chamber trailed by a retinue of shirtless Hindu holy men.—Daniel Brook, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023 Willow and her retinue were among hundreds of spectators who turned out to cheer the Midget Wrestling Warriors, a troupe of short-statured performers whose opening-day showcase drew fiery condemnation from California’s tightknit dwarf community and disability rights groups.—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retinue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English retenue, from Anglo-French, from feminine of retenu, past participle of retenir to retain
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