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Clique definition

klĭk, klēk
cliques
See word origin
Frequency:
A small, exclusive circle of people; snobbish or narrow coterie.
noun
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To form, associate in, or act as a clique.
verb
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A small exclusive group of friends or associates.
noun
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A small, exclusive group of individuals; cabal.

This school used to be really friendly, but now everyone keeps to their own cliques.

noun
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(graph theory) A subgraph isomorphic to a complete graph.

The problem of finding the largest clique in an arbitrary graph is NP-complete.

noun
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(Internet) A group of related web sites that link to each other, like a webring but with exclusive membership determined by the clique owner.
noun
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To associate together in a clannish way; to act with others secretly to gain a desired end; to plot.
verb
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The definition of a clique is a small, closed off group of people.

The popular group in high school is an example of a clique.

noun
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
clique
Plural:
cliques

Origin of clique

  • French from Old French latch or from obsolete French cliquer to click, clink of imitative origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Borrowing from French clique

    From Wiktionary

Clique Sentence Examples

  • But the king replaced them with a new clique of servile and rapacious favourites.

  • The five girls were part of a popular clique with Allison as their queen bee.

  • The civil service gravitated into the hands of a clique.

  • Don't join a clique, especially of moaning ex-pats.

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Words near clique in the Dictionary