Camarilla
/ˌkæməˈrɪlə/noun
A small, secretive group of influential advisers or favorites surrounding a ruler or powerful person.
Did you know?Camarilla entered English from Spanish as a political insult for the hidden inner circle around King Ferdinand VII, and its root is the same Latin word behind “camera” and “chamber.”
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
camera
“a vaulted chamber or room”
Medieval Latin
Latin
camarra
“a chamber or room”
Old Spanish
Spanish
camarilla
“a little chamber; later, a small private clique”
19th Century
English
camarilla
“a secret or private political faction, especially one surrounding a ruler”
Modern English
English
camarilla
“a small, exclusive group of secret advisers or favorites around someone powerful”
Explore more surprising origins