coterie
/'koutəri/
Học thuậtThân thiện
A small coterie of artists meets in the studio to discuss their latest project.
Definition
Noun: - An exclusive, often small, group of people who share a common interest or purpose and associate closely with one another, sometimes to the exclusion of others. It implies a select circle bound by shared tastes, activities, or aims.
Usage
The word "coterie" is used to describe a tight-knit, sometimes private or cliquish, social or professional group. It often carries a neutral to slightly negative connotation, suggesting exclusivity or insularity. It is a formal word.
Examples
- The artist was surrounded by a coterie of devoted admirers and patrons.
- Decisions in the company were often made by a small coterie of senior executives.
- She found the university's literary coterie to be unwelcoming to new ideas.
Advanced Usage
- "Inner coterie": Emphasizes the most central and influential members within an already exclusive group.
- Only his inner coterie knew about the plan before it was announced.
- Used to describe historical or artistic groups:
- The Bloomsbury Group was an influential literary and intellectual coterie in early 20th-century England.
Variants and Related Words
- Clique (n): A more negatively charged synonym, strongly implying exclusion and snobbery.
- Circle (n): A more neutral term for a group with a shared interest.
- Set (n): A group of people with similar social status or interests.
- Faction (n): A small, organized dissenting group within a larger one, often in politics.
Synonyms
- Clique
- Circle
- Set
- In-group
- Camp
Antonyms
- Public
- Outsiders
- The masses
Idioms and Phrases
- "A coterie of friends": A standard phrase indicating a close, exclusive group of friends.
- He preferred the company of his small coterie of friends to large parties.
- "Move in a coterie": To socialize primarily within a specific, exclusive group.
- As a famous critic, she moved in a fashionable literary coterie.
A small coterie of artists meets in the studio to discuss their latest project.
Noun
- an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose