What does clique mean?
A clique is a small, close-knit group of people who socialize or work together to the exclusion of others, often sharing common interests, status, or loyalties. The term is most familiar in contexts such as schools, workplaces, and social scenes, where outsiders perceive the group as difficult or impossible to join. Because calling a group a clique suggests exclusivity and favoritism, the word usually carries negative or at least disapproving overtones; related forms like "cliquish" reinforce this sense of snobbish insularity. Cliques also appear in political and organizational language, where a "ruling clique" denotes a faction holding power for its own benefit. The word entered English in the early eighteenth century from French, and although its exact ultimate origin is uncertain, it has long been associated with the idea of a select inner circle. Understanding "clique" is useful because it captures, in a single word, the social dynamics of belonging, exclusion, and insider power that shape so many human groups.
nounA small, exclusive group of people who associate closely and often regard others as outsiders; typically one perceived as closed or self-interested.
- A small, exclusive group of people who associate closely for shared interests or mutual advantage, often excluding outsiders.
- (Disapproving) A faction or inner circle within a larger organization, especially one seen as wielding power for its own benefit, as in politics or business.
"The new employees struggled to break into the tight-knit clique that ran the department."
"She spent her first year of high school feeling invisible, watching the popular clique from a distance."
"Critics accused the party leadership of being dominated by a small clique of loyalists rather than reflecting its members' views."
Standard plural, used when referring to multiple exclusive groups, e.g. across different settings or organizations.
"High schools are notorious for their cliques, each with its own unwritten rules."
Though it sounds like modern slang, "clique" has been part of English since the early 1700s — school cafeterias have been navigating them for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of clique
The word "clique" comes from French, where it denoted a small band or faction, and was adopted into English in the early eighteenth century. The deeper origin of the French term is uncertain — some sources connect it to the verb "cliquer," possibly of imitative origin — so its precise ancestry cannot be stated definitively. In English it quickly settled into its modern sense of an exclusive inner circle, giving rise to derivatives such as "cliquish" and "cliquey." It should not be confused with "click," though informal usage sometimes blends the two in phrases about groups whose members simply "click."
Related word forms
How clique is actually used
"Clique" is almost always neutral-to-negative in connotation: describing a group as a clique implies exclusivity and insularity, so reserve it for groups viewed from the outside. The adjectives "cliquish" and "cliquey" carry this judgmental tone further. A plural variant "cliques" is standard.
Easily confused with clique
"Click" is a short sharp sound or an act of pressing a button (and can informally mean instant rapport), while "clique" is always a noun meaning a small exclusive group.