cortege

noun

cor·​tege kȯr-ˈtezh 

ˈkȯr-ˌtezh

variants or less commonly cortège

1

: a train of attendants : retinue

2

: procession

especially : a funeral procession

Synonyms

• entourage
• following
• posse
• retinue
• suite
• tail
• train

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

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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

Kids Definition

cortege

noun

cor·​tege

variants also cortège

kȯr-ˈtezh 

ˈkȯr-ˌtezh

1

: a group of attendants : retinue

2

: procession sense 2

especially : a funeral procession