Clientele

/ˌkliːənˈtɛl/

nounIntermediateCommonGeneral

Definitions

1

The group of people who regularly use the services of a business, organization, or professional.

/ˌkliːənˈtɛl/

nounneutralIntermediate
General

Group of customers

The boutique attracted a sophisticated clientele.

💡 Simply: Imagine a fancy restaurant where the same people eat there all the time. Those regular customers are the restaurant's clientele. It's like a special club of people who love a place or service.

👶 For kids: The people who always go to a store or a restaurant.

More Examples

2

His law firm had a diverse clientele.

How It's Used

Business

"The salon boasts a loyal clientele of high-profile individuals."

Law

"The lawyer's clientele consisted mainly of corporations."

From French clientele, from client, from Latin cliens "dependent, retainer, client".

The word's use has remained consistent, referring to a group of clients or customers, primarily in formal contexts.

Memory tip

Think 'client' + 'elite' – a select group of important customers.

Base: client
clientaleclientailclientelle

Usage

20%Spoken
80%Written