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.
The Rooftop at the Envoy is one of the Seaport District’s hot spots, with gorgeous harbor views and a chic clientele. Kim Foley MacKinnon, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025 In May 2001, Jennifer Stahl, 39, an artist, singer, and actor, who had a minor role in Dirty Dancing, was selling exotic weed to an artsy clientele out of her sixth-floor apartment above the famous Jewish deli across the street from Carnegie Hall. John J. Lennon, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2025 Spending is robust, but so is the financial health of Amex’s clientele. Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 18 July 2025 In a statement shared to the Los Angeles Times, manager, owner and president Sammy Chao thanked the Mayan’s clientele for their support, pointing toward the ongoing impact of COVID as part of the reason for the decision. Tyler Jenke, Billboard, 17 July 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clientele.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clientele. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!