grey eminence

noun

1. the English equivalent of éminence grise

More About Grey Eminence

What does grey eminence mean?

Grey eminence is a term for a person who wields power in an unofficial capacity or who influences things behind the scenes, mostly or completely out of public view.

The term is an English translation of the more commonly used éminence grise. The spelling gray eminence is also used.

The terms are usually used in the context of politics and are typically applied to someone who wields power through another person who holds an official position. The term often implies that the person is doing this secretly or in an unauthorized or otherwise shadowy way.

The terms are most often applied by the media or by those who are critical of such influence.

Example: The press is calling him a grey eminence and implying that he is the one orchestrating things behind the scenes.

Where does grey eminence come from?

The figurative use of the term éminence grise is first recorded in the 1900s. The first records of the translated version of the term, grey (or gray) eminence, come later, around the 1940s. The noun eminence refers to a position of high rank or status. It is often used as a way of addressing or referring to cardinals in the Catholic Church, as in your eminence or his eminence.

The term éminence grise was originally a nickname applied to Père Joseph, also known as François Leclerc du Tremblay. If you’ve never heard of him, that’s the point. He was the secretary and a confidential advisor of someone you probably have heard of: Cardinal Richelieu, who wielded a lot of political power in France in the 1600s. Père Joseph’s nickname was based on the fact that he was a monk who wore grayish-colored robes.

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What are some other forms related to grey eminence?

• gray eminence (alternate spelling)

What are some synonyms for grey eminence?

• éminence grise

What are some words that share a root or word element with grey eminence? 

• grey
• gray
• eminence

What are some words that often get used in discussing grey eminence?

• power
• influence
• behind the scenes
• decision-making
• advisor
• policy
• cardinal
• Svengali
• kingmaker
• figurehead

How is grey eminence used in real life?

The term éminence grise is more commonly used than grey eminence. It was applied to Dick Cheney when he served as vice president under President George W. Bush, for example.

I'm certainly not a born leader, but I still think I could make a decent grey eminence.

— SeleniteAdam (@AdamSelenite) October 26, 2020

There you have it. Johnson is Prime Minister but the Grey Eminence is Cummings, without a doubt. He is now so bold he acts as if we had elected him. Unbelievable.

— Jon (@jayar1947) May 25, 2020

I gotta leave this conversation for a while. Need to get started on Belloc's Richelieu. What purity of writing. Richelieu is my model of governance, along with his Capuchin Grey Eminence and his vast network of spies. https://t.co/Kz8ky4zFva

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 24, 2020

 

Try using grey eminence!

Is grey eminence used correctly in the following sentence?

It seems pretty obvious that there is a grey eminence making decisions in private, because the prime minister doesn’t seem capable of this type of political maneuvering.