Cadre
[KAH-dray]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, mid-19th century
1.
A small group of people specially trained for a particular purpose or profession.
2.
A group of activists.
Examples of Cadre in a sentence
"The cadre of heart specialists were on call for the transplant procedure."
"The cadre gathered in front of the statehouse to listen to speakers."
About Cadre
This word, which has come to mean a group of specially trained people, or a group of activists, goes back to the Latin word "quadrus," meaning square. The Latin word was pulled into Italian (quadro) and then to French, before cadre was added to English vocabulary in the 19th century. But you're certainly allowed to have more than four people in your cadre today.
Did you Know?
If you're a member of a cadre, you have a special purpose. This word is used to describe a small group of people who have been trained in a particular profession or skill. Cadre also has a history of being used to describe a group of activists, which makes sense as it's a special skill to have.
