cortege
Americannoun
-
a procession, especially a ceremonial one.
a funeral cortege.
-
a line or train of attendants; retinue.
noun
-
a formal procession, esp a funeral procession
-
a train of attendants; retinue
Etymology
Origin of cortege
1670–80; < French < Italian corteggio courtly retinue, derivative of corteggiare to court, itself derivative of corte court
Explanation
A group of people following solemnly behind, whether they're a celebrity's handlers or a funeral procession, is a cortege. A movie star may have a cortege of hair stylists, assistants, and agents—you can also call this an entourage or a retinue. A funeral procession, the group of mourners that walks or rides in cars to a cemetery, is another kind of cortege. The French source, cortège, means "train of attendants," from the Italian corte, "court," and the Latin root cohors, "retinue."
Vocabulary lists containing cortege
"The Iliad" by Homer, Book 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Odyssey
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Stranger
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As the cortege entered the church, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau was sung and the first hymn was Cwm Rhondda.
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
Hundreds of fans gathered outside the cathedral and applauded as the cortege arrived, preceded by a guard of scooter riders as The Stone Roses track I Wanna Be Adored played on speakers.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Fans lined the streets as the funeral cortege went from the star's home in Heaton Moor in Stockport to Manchester city centre.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
"It's just wrong not stopping and letting the whole cortege go so all the family can stay together as a mark of respect," he said.
From BBC • Oct. 27, 2025
A catafalque carrying Harrison’s black casket led the cortege and was followed immediately by Harrison’s beloved Kentucky mare, stirrups crossed on its empty saddle.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
