WORD OF THE DAY: Coterie
[kō-tə-(ˌ)rē]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, 18th century
Definition: a tightly knit group of people with a common interest or goal; an inner circle that excludes outsiders.
Examples of Coterie in a sentence
“She was always walking with her coterie of close friends, which made talking to her alone impossible.”
“I tried joining the club, but it was really more of a coterie considering they rejected my application outright.”
About Coterie
It’s no wonder that farmers in 18th century feudal Europe wanted to form a coterie to protect their rights. Over 90% of the total population at the time worked in the field, and they were so overworked and underfed that most died by age 30. It didn’t help that kings and lords considered themselves designated as rulers by God himself.
Did you Know?
Farmers in 18th century France would sometimes get together and form an organization, or cotier. That means coiteries were essentially the world’s first workers’ unions.
