Etymology Borrowed from French clique, ultimately of imitative origin. Influenced by claque, though this may have happened in French rather than in English.
1
A small, exclusive group of individuals, usually according to lifestyle or social status; a cabal.
This school used to be really friendly, but now everyone keeps to their own cliques.
There had been talk of some disagreement about a picture, but in Sir Maxwell's experience, artists frequently disagreed about pictures, with no more consequences than a little cold-shouldering or the formation of a clique.1931, Dorothy L. Sayers, The Five Red Herrings:
The problem of finding the largest clique in an arbitrary graph is NP-complete.
3
Internet A group of related web sites that link to each other, like a webring but with exclusive membership determined by the clique owner.
Does anyone know what an internet clique is/does? I came across a few and am thoroughly confused.1999, Jackie, “someone help me out?”, in alt.fan.leo-dicaprio (Usenet):
even though we're not "regulars" anymore...*sniffle*...we still can't forget the NG...i always tell new fans about it...(people who join my clique, etc...)...and besides...i owe the NG a LOT...itz where i met my best friend...2000, - deanna -, “ot: hiya”, in alt.fan.backstreet.boys (Usenet):
1 more example
you always have to click some big section and you get a whole new set of options in a different frame, thats^([sic]) usually on the other side of the screen. when you're there, you can choose from (in a section site stuff or something like that) link me, link you, links, top 10 links, free for all links, cliques, and webrings.2001, spee2k, “future no doubt website....”, in alt.music.no-doubt (Usenet):
4
A shortened form of the Skeleton Clique, the fan base of the Twenty One Pilots.
The Skeleton Clique, often referred to as just 'the clique,' is what members of the Twenty One Pilots fandom have dubbed themselves.2016, “Skeleton Clique Shows Support for Twenty One Pilots”, in The Horizon, Westwood Student Press:
Etymology Borrowed from French clique, ultimately of imitative origin. Influenced by claque, though this may have happened in French rather than in English.
1
To associate together in a clannish way; to act with others secretly to gain a desired end; to plot.