cortege

noun

cor·​tege kȯr-ˈtezh How to pronounce cortege (audio)
ˈkȯr-ˌtezh
variants or less commonly cortège
1
: a train of attendants : retinue
2
: procession
especially : a funeral procession

Example Sentences

the movie star's cortege included her hair stylist, makeup artist, personal assistant, and press agent the funeral cortege of mourners stretched for three city blocks
Recent Examples on the Web The sight of the cortege accompanied by massed pipes and drums making its slow march through hedged lanes marked a sharp contrast to the earlier procession through the streets of London past some of the capital’s most famous landmarks. WSJ, 19 Sep. 2022 The cortege arrived at Westminster Hall’s gates precisely 38 minutes later, at the top of the hour, and the coffin was placed on a catafalque, or stand. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022 Tens of thousands of people lined the route of the cortege past the landmarks of London. Mark Landler, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2022 Earlier in the day, Shanghai residents bade farewell to the former leader as his funeral cortege made its way to one of the city’s airports, state media said. Chun Han Wong, WSJ, 1 Dec. 2022 There were echoes of that history as the queen’s cortege rolled past statues of Churchill and George VI. Mark Landler, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2022 As the cortege made its way up the Mall, the crowd was initially hushed. Mark Landler, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2022 As the cortege made its way through the city, tens of thousands of mourners jammed the narrow streets, which were festooned with royal banners. Stu Woo And Trefor Moss, WSJ, 11 Sep. 2022 Earlier in London, tens of thousands of people streamed to the environs of Buckingham Palace, hoping to catch a glimpse of the cortege on its route and to pay their final respects. Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cortege.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

French cortège, from Italian corteggio, from corteggiare to court, from corte court, from Latin cohort-, cohors enclosure — more at court

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cortege was in 1648

Dictionary Entries Near cortege

Cite this Entry

“Cortege.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cortege. Accessed 21 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

cortege

noun
cor·​tege
variants also cortège
kȯr-ˈtezh How to pronounce cortege (audio)
ˈkȯr-ˌtezh
1
: a group of attendants : retinue
2
: procession sense 2
especially : a funeral procession

More from Merriam-Webster on cortege

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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