cortege
kor-TEZH
/kɔːrˈtɛʒ/
A solemn, formal procession, especially one attending a funeral.
Usually refers to a line of vehicles or mourners slowly moving behind a hearse.
The story behind the word. Borrowed into English from French 'cortège', which was derived from Italian 'corteggio' (a court retinue or train of attendants). By the 19th century, English adopted it almost exclusively for formal funeral processions.
Word relationships
- procession: Procession is general and can be cheerful or neutral; cortege is solemn and formal.
- retinue: A retinue is a group of advisers or assistants accompanying an important living person.
Commonly confused with
- parade: A parade is celebratory and public; a cortege is formal, dignified, and mournful.
Collocations
- funeral cortege
- solemn cortege
- cortege passes
- lead the cortege
Example sentences
- "Thousands of silent spectators lined the boulevard as the funeral cortege passed by." Royal funeral
- "The motor cortege moved slowly through the city streets toward the cemetery gates." Procession to cemetery
Memory hook
COURT + ESCORT. A regal court-like escort following the deceased. A slow, dignified line moving with grief.
When not to use
Do not use for casual parades, carnivals, or celebratory marches.
Fun facts
- State funeral corteges often feature riderless horses with boots reversed in the stirrups to symbolize a fallen leader.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.