clientele

noun

cli·​en·​tele ˌklī-ən-ˈtel How to pronounce clientele (audio)
ˌklē-ən-,
 also  ˌklē-ˌän-
: a body of clients
a shop that caters to an exclusive clientele

Examples of clientele in a Sentence

… Gottfried had been complaining for months that our local clientele didn't have the class to appreciate the house. — Jane Smiley, Good Faith, 2003
The lunchtime clientele at TJ's was polymorphous as usual, as at District Court, though there was a higher percentage of respectable clients here—local business folk having lunch at one of the last downtown bars that served decent food but wasn't fancy. — Tracy Kidder, Home Town, 1999
The collections shown last month not only had plenty of clothes for the couture clientele to choose from, but, even more importantly, they were loaded with multiple messages for the fashion community at large. — Carrie Donovan, New York Times Magazine, 21 Feb. 1988
According to the State Department in-jokes, this was the most exclusive place in Washington. For its clientele was made up almost entirely of CIA and KGB agents watching one another watching other people. — Erich Segal, The Class, (1985) 1986
The restaurant generally attracts an older clientele.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This historic grand dame property originally opened in 1926 and during its early days boasted illustrious clientele such as John F. Kennedy and Bette Davis. — Christina Liao, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025 With manufacturing facilities in both China and Vietnam, Advance Denim adeptly addresses the diverse needs of its global clientele. — Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 15 Apr. 2025 Pillars of the design community here were hesitant to openly criticize the Trump administration, but the intent to safeguard relationships with their U.S. clientele was abundantly clear. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025 Perrine’s clientele ranges widely, from Upper East Siders, hotel guests and tourists who include stylish young Japanese women toting designer bags from the high-fashion shops along the nexus of Madison, 57th Street and Fifth Avenue. — John Mariani, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clientele

Word History

Etymology

French clientèle, from Latin clientela, from client-, cliens — see client

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clientele was in 1570

Rhymes for clientele

See All Rhymes for clientele

Browse Nearby Words

client
clientele
clientelism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clientele.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clientele. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

clientele

noun
cli·​en·​tele ˌklī-ən-ˈtel How to pronounce clientele (audio)
: a group of clients

More from Merriam-Webster on clientele

Nglish: Translation of clientele for Spanish Speakers

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