cadre

[ka-drey, kah-drey]

noun

1. Military.,  the key group of officers and enlisted personnel necessary to establish and train a new military unit.

2. a group of trained or otherwise qualified personnel capable of forming, training, or leading an expanded organization, as a religious or political faction, or a skilled workforce.

   They hoped to form a cadre of veteran party members.

3. (especially in Communist countries) a cell of trained and devoted workers.

4. a member of a cadre; a person qualified to serve in a cadre.

5. a framework, outline, or scheme.

cadre

/ ˈkɑːdə /

noun

1. the nucleus of trained professional servicemen forming the basis for the training of new units or other military expansion

2. a basic unit or structure, esp of specialists or experts; nucleus; core

3. a group of revolutionaries or other political activists, esp when taking part in military or terrorist activities

4. a member of a cadre

cadre

1. An elite or select group that forms the core of an organization and is capable of training new members.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cadre¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from French: “frame, border, bounds, cadre” (metaphorically, the cadre being the framework into which temporary personnel are fit), from Italian quadro, from Latin quadrum “square”; quadri-

Word History and Origins

Origin of cadre¹

C19: from French, from Italian quadro, from Latin quadrum square

Example Sentences

On August 3, 2025, a cadre of Texas House Democrats left the state to deny the Legislature the headcount necessary to pass a new congressional map gerrymandered to flip several Democratic districts.

From Salon

Alongside carpenters and nurses and dockworkers, there were also representatives from a cadre of entertainment industry unions representing actors, writers and production workers.

From Los Angeles Times

Israel insists that Hamas militants are hiding inside or near healthcare facilities, or that the group’s cadres disguise themselves as medical personnel, civil defense crews and journalists.

From Los Angeles Times

While the cadre of talent at VaVoom is here to stay, the Mayan is permanently closing its doors at the end of September after 35 years under its current management.

From Los Angeles Times

For decades, a cadre of Americans has believed that there was a government-backed cover-up of those killings.

From Salon

Related Words

• organization 
• personnel 
• staff