clientele

noun

cli·​en·​tele ˌklī-ən-ˈtel How to pronounce clientele (audio)
ˌklē-ən-,
 also  ˌklē-ˌän-
: a body of clients
a shop that caters to an exclusive clientele

Examples of clientele in a Sentence

… Gottfried had been complaining for months that our local clientele didn't have the class to appreciate the house. Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003
The lunchtime clientele at TJ's was polymorphous as usual, as at District Court, though there was a higher percentage of respectable clients here—local business folk having lunch at one of the last downtown bars that served decent food but wasn't fancy. Tracy Kidder, Home Town, 1999
The collections shown last month not only had plenty of clothes for the couture clientele to choose from, but, even more importantly, they were loaded with multiple messages for the fashion community at large. Carrie Donovan, New York Times Magazine, 21 Feb. 1988
According to the State Department in-jokes, this was the most exclusive place in Washington. For its clientele was made up almost entirely of CIA and KGB agents watching one another watching other people. Erich Segal, The Class, (1985) 1986
The restaurant generally attracts an older clientele.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Initially targeting affluent travelers, Hollywood stars and business elites, the hotel now attracts a diverse clientele, including history enthusiasts, tourists and business travelers. Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 24 Sep. 2025 And that giant project is even in a place with vast amounts of parking, wide-open access by car, and a suburban clientele eager to spend the day shopping. Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 24 Sep. 2025 Over the years, the restaurant has racked up a star-studded clientele, including Bob Uecker, Liam Neeson, Halle Barry and Packers greats. Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025 Amazon bought Whole Foods Market, a supermarket chain that targets a wealthier clientele, in 2017. Ana Nicolaci Da Costa, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clientele

Word History

Etymology

French clientèle, from Latin clientela, from client-, cliens — see client

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clientele was in 1570

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clientele.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clientele. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

clientele

noun
cli·​en·​tele ˌklī-ən-ˈtel How to pronounce clientele (audio)
: a group of clients

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