clique

[ klik, kleek ]

noun

1. a small, exclusive group of people; coterie; set.

verb (used without object)

, cliqued, cli·quing.

1. Informal. to form, or associate in, a clique.

clique

/ kliːk; klɪk /

noun

1. a small, exclusive group of friends or associates

Derived Forms

• ˈcliquish, adjective
• ˈcliquishness, noun
• ˈcliquishly, adverb

Other Words From

• clique·less adjective
• cli·quey cli·quy adjective
• cli·quism noun
• sub·clique noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of clique¹

1705–15; < French, apparently metaphorical use of Middle French clique latch, or noun derivative of cliquer to make noise, resound, imitative word parallel to click ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of clique¹

C18: from French, perhaps from Old French: latch, from cliquer to click; suggestive of the necessity to exclude nonmembers

Synonym Study

See circle, ring ¹.

Example Sentences

If tech giant CEOs were a high school clique, Mukesh Ambani would be its newest member, and everyone’s invited to a party at his house.

From Quartz

As a general rule, to prove Keller’s conjecture in dimension n, you use dice with n dots and try to find a clique of size 2n.

From Quanta Magazine

The question of whether it’s possible to find a clique of size 128 is a similar kind of problem.

From Quanta Magazine

Prove that such a clique can’t exist, on the other hand, and you’ve proved the conjecture true.

From Quanta Magazine

Find that clique, and you’ve proved Keller’s conjecture false in dimension seven.

From Quanta Magazine

Her travel clique has been known to arrive at an airport, bags packed, passport-in-hand, within hours of spotting a deal.

From The Daily Beast

How ironic that the Hermit Kingdom is taking the blame for our first real look inside a clique that not even Vice dares penetrate.

From The Daily Beast

The center-right hedge fund clique known as Third Way, and associated Blue Dogs and hangers on.

From The Daily Beast

Not only is post-Yanukovych Ukraine dominated by a fascist clique, it is controlled by unnatural women.

From The Daily Beast

A clique of GOP lawmakers say the debt ceiling crisis is a hoax.

From The Daily Beast

Occasionally a clique seeks to get control of a corporation by the issue of new stock and taking it among themselves.

From Project Gutenberg

Such a clique of professional friends would sink a stronger man than Trevithick.

From Project Gutenberg

And at any rate it is another chance for this distracted archipelago of children, sat upon by a clique of fools.

From Project Gutenberg

They must be national; words that are the property of the mass of the people, not of a clique or a district.

From Project Gutenberg

Like words that are used by a small region are words which are understood by a clique of persons.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cabal
• clan
• coterie
• faction
• gang
• mob
• posse