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.
What little furniture Frank did use in his own home and in those of his daring clientele followed a similar ethos, which some speculate was his extreme spin on the streamlined 18th-century furniture of Louis XVI, undergoing a resurgence at the time. — Architectural Digest, 25 Aug. 2026 Toska Husted, the owner of Toska Spa & Facial Bar who has built an international celebrity clientele that includes members of the Kardashian family, was also mentioned, along with Chandra Janway, the wife of NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 25 Aug. 2026 Nigeria’s gas prices are about a third lower than charged by local rivals Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, which will be crucial for Genser’s long-term goals of providing low-cost electricity to its growing clientele, Adjei said. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 17 Aug. 2026 In the early 90's, Hall said his clientele was mostly fishermen. — John Lauritsen, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 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

cliental
clientele
clientelism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clientele.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clientele. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

clientele

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