éminence grise

[ French ey-mee-nahns greez ]

noun

, plural é·mi·nences grises [ey-mee-nah, n, s , greez].

1. gray eminence.

éminence grise

/ eminɑ̃s ɡriz /

noun

1. a person who wields power and influence unofficially or behind the scenes

éminence grise

1. A person who wields power behind the scenes: “The king's brother-in-law is his éminence grise; he has enormous influence, though he is rarely in the public eye.” A French term meaning “gray eminence.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of éminence grise¹

From French

Word History and Origins

Origin of éminence grise¹

C19: literally: grey eminence, originally applied to Père Joseph (François Le Clerc du Tremblay; died 1638), French monk, secretary of Cardinal Richelieu

Example Sentences

To begin with, “it must be said that a lawyer shouldn’t do anything illegal — and that would be enough,” said Attali, an eminence grise at Davos.

From Seattle Times

That emotionally astute author, the eminence grise, the institutional memory.

From Washington Post

In public, as an eminence grise, Jordan used charm to batter down doors.

From Washington Post

Trump’s frequent complaints about Dr. Anthony Fauci have regularly made headlines in Europe, where the U.S. infectious diseases expert is a respected eminence grise.

From Washington Times

Diosdado Cabello, the No. 2 most powerful person in the country and eminence grise of Venezuela’s vast intelligence network, insisted that the government had infiltrated the plot for months.

From Washington Times