Did you know?
Retinue comes via Middle English from the Anglo-French verb retenir, meaning "to retain or keep in one's pay or service." Another retenir descendant is retainer, which has among its meanings "one who serves a person of high position or rank." In the 14th century, such retainers typically served a noble or royal of some kind, and retinue referred to a collection of retainers—that is, the noble's servants and companions. Nowadays, the word retinue is often used with a bit of exaggeration to refer to the assistants, guards, publicists, and other people who accompany a high-profile individual in public. You might also hear such a collection of folks called a suite or entourage, two other words that come from French.
Synonyms
Examples of retinue in a Sentence
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024
Standing stoutly on a granite rock just off Wilshire Boulevard in MacArthur Park, Harrison Gray Otis has lost his retinue.
—Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
Much to her surprise, instead of traveling with a retinue or even a secretary, the Chancellor was alone.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 June 2023
The Virgo cluster surrounds itself with a retinue of smaller groups, pulling each one toward it with its immense gravity.
—Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 24 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for retinue 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retinue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near retinue
Cite this Entry
“Retinue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retinue. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
retinue
noun
Share