noun
cadre
KAH-duh
noun
1
A small, tightly organized group of trained people who form the core of a larger organization or movement.
"A cadre of experienced engineers led the project from the start."
"The party built its power around a disciplined cadre of activists."
How to Use Cadre
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA core group of trained, committed people at the heart of an organization.
Common pairings
a small cadre
cadre of experts
Word Forms
cadres plural
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A _____ of experienced engineers led the project from the start.
Etymology
Borrowed from French cadre, from Italian quadro ("square, framework"), from Latin quadrum — the original sense was a "frame" or organizational skeleton.