Adjacent Words

clique definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose [syn: clique, coterie, ingroup, inner circle, pack, camp]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: French Date: 1711 a narrow exclusive circle or group of persons; especially one held together by common interests, views, or purposes • cliquey adjective • cliquish adjective • cliquishly adverb • cliquishness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. a small exclusive group of people. Derivatives: cliquey adj. (cliquier, cliquiest). cliquish adj. cliquishness n. cliquism n. Etymology: F f. cliquer CLICK

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Clique Clique, n. [F., fr. OF. cliquer to click. See Click, v. i.] A narrow circle of persons associated by common interests or for the accomplishment of a common purpose; -- generally used in a bad sense.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Clique Clique, v. i. To To associate together in a clannish way; to act with others secretly to gain a desired end; to plot; -- used with together.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(cliques) If you describe a group of people as a clique, you mean that they spend a lot of time together and seem unfriendly towards people who are not in the group. N-COUNT [disapproval]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. [Fr.] [Generally used in a bad sense.] Coterie, club, brotherhood, sodality, clan, junto, cabal, camarilla, party, gang, set, ring, private or exclusive association.

Moby Thesaurus

age group, associate with, assort with, band, battalion, bevy, body, brigade, bunch, cabal, cadre, camarilla, camp, cast, cell, charmed circle, chum, chum together, chum with, circle, clan, clique with, closed circle, club together, cohort, company, complement, consort with, contingent, corps, coterie, covey, crew, crowd, detachment, detail, division, elite, elite group, faction, fellowship, fleet, flock together, fraternize, gang, group, grouping, groupment, hang around with, hang out with, herd together, hobnob with, in-group, ingroup, inner circle, join, join in fellowship, junta, junto, keep company with, mingle with, mix with, mob, movement, out-group, outfit, pack, pal, pal up with, pal with, party, peer group, phalanx, platoon, posse, regiment, ring, run in couples, run with, salon, set, sort with, squad, stable, string, take up with, team, tie up with, tribe, troop, troupe, we-group, wing