Coterie
/ˈkoʊtəri/noun
A small, exclusive group of people who share a common interest or influence.
Did you know?Coterie entered English through French from a word for a small household or cottage, and it eventually came to mean an exclusive inner circle—proof that language can turn a tiny dwelling into social power.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
LL
cotta
“a small dwelling or hut”
Old French
OF
coterie
“a small group of tenants or people associated with a cottage or holding”
17th Century
French
coterie
“a small, often exclusive group of people”
18th Century
English
coterie
“a select or cliquish circle”
Modern English
English
coterie
“an exclusive small group with shared interests or influence”