What does “coterie” mean?

coterie


Oh, this is a fancy one!

A "coterie" is a small, tight group of people who share the same interests — and they usually don't let just anyone in. Think of it like a private club with no sign-up form.

So you might say, "She has a coterie of loyal friends who follow her everywhere." Or imagine a famous artist surrounded by a coterie of young writers and painters who all admire him — they hang out together, share ideas, but kind of keep to themselves.

It's not a mean word exactly, but it does have a little bit of a "we're exclusive" feeling to it. Like, yes, it's a close group — but also, outsiders aren't really welcome.

Basically: a small, close, somewhat exclusive circle of people with shared tastes or goals.

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