clique

clique

noun \ˈklēk, ˈklik\

Definition of CLIQUE

: a narrow exclusive circle or group of persons; especially : one held together by common interests, views, or purposes

— cliqu·ey \ˈklē-kē, ˈkli-\ adjective

— cliqu·ish \ˈkli-kish\ adjective

— cliqu·ish·ly adverb

— cliqu·ish·ness noun

Examples of CLIQUE

1. <that clique refuses to even talk to outsiders at their lunch table>

Origin of CLIQUE

French

First Known Use: 1711

Related to CLIQUE

Synonyms

body, bunch, circle, clan, gang, community, coterie, coven, crowd, fold, galère, klatch (also klatsch), lot, network, pack, ring, set

Related Words

charmed circle, elite, in-group; closed shop; club, college, fellowship, guild (also gild), league, organization, society; camp, faction, sect, side, tribe; mess, squad; brotherhood, fraternity, order, sisterhood, sodality, sorority; commune; alliance, bloc, coalition, confederation, congress, council, federation, union

Near Antonyms

loner; individualist

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture

Rhymes with CLIQUE

beak, bleak, cheek, chic, cleek, creak, creek, Creek, eke, flic, freak, geek, gleek, Greek, keek, leak, leek, meek, peak, peek, peke, pic, pique, reek, screak, seek, sheikh, shriek, sic, Sikh, sleek, sneak, speak, squeak, steek, streak, streek, teak, tweak, weak, week