coteries

A coterie is a small, exclusive group of people who associate closely, often around shared interests, activities, or social status. The term comes from the French word coterie, meaning a circle of friends, and has been used in English for several centuries to describe intimate circles whose members influence one another.

Characteristic features include selective membership, frequent private communication, and a shared set of norms or tastes. Coteries typically form around arts, letters, professions, or activist causes, and may function as social networks that provide information, opportunities, and mutual support to members. They can emerge in salons, studios, workplaces, or within online communities, and may persist for years or vanish as interests change.

Impact often includes the promotion of particular tastes or careers, collaboration on projects, and the mentoring of newer members. At the same time, coteries can reinforce exclusivity, limit diversity, and exert gatekeeping pressure that favors insiders over outsiders.

While the term is closely related to clique or set, coterie often carries connotations of culture, refinement, or intellectual affinity, whereas clique can imply social compactness or exclusion regardless of shared cultural aims. Related concepts include circle, salon, and social network.