coterie
noun
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A coterie today is, in essence, a clique—that is, a tight-knit group sharing interests in common. Historically, however, coteries hung around agricultural fields, not garden parties. In medieval France, coterie referred to a group of feudal peasants who together held a parcel of land (that coterie comes from the Old French word for a singular peasant, cotier). Such associations of country people inspired later French speakers to use coterie more broadly and apply it to other kinds of clubs and societies. By the time the word began appearing in English texts in the early 1700s, its meaning had been extended to refer to any circle of people who spent a great deal of time together, who shared the same basic attitudes, and who held a passion for some particular topic. Coterie mostly appears now in formal speech and writing, and tends also to imply a bit of exclusivity—if you’re thinking of joining your local coterie, you may need to learn the secret handshake, or perhaps bone up on the latest techniques for harvesting barley.
Examples of coterie in a Sentence
Emma Green, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Less a school than a loose coterie, the group—which counted Nobuo Sekine, Kishio Suga, and Susumu Koshimizu among its members—used natural objects and industrial materials to construct anti-representational propositions that emphasized relationships, simplicity, reduction, and space.
—Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2024
As trillions of dollars of shareholder value evaporated, a coterie of defenders mobilized to quell any protest.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
But on one topic, Musk stands somewhat apart from others in the coterie of aides and advisers around Trump: China.
—Linggong Kong, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coterie
Cite this Entry
“Coterie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coterie. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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coterie
noun
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