noun
coterie
KOH-tuh-ree/ˈkəʊtəri/
A small, exclusive group of people with shared interests or tastes.
The small coterie of art enthusiasts gathers closely around an abstract painting.
Etymology
The French word first named an organization of peasants holding land from a feudal lord. A group linked by land tenure became a circle of acquaintances, leading to the modern sense of an exclusive social set.
In context
believed by other dealers in precious stones to be a most respectable member of that select little coterie that deals in gems.
More examples
- A coterie of local collectors meets privately to trade rare coins.
- He feels out of place in her fashionable coterie.
- The city's artistic coteries rarely welcome newcomers.
Forms
coterie · coteries