éminence grise
[ French ey-mee-nahns greez ]
/ French eɪ mi nɑ̃s ˈgriz /
noun, plural é·mi·nences grises [French ey-mee-nahns greez] /French eɪ mi nɑ̃s ˈgriz/.
Origin of éminence grise
From French
Words nearby éminence grise
élisabethville,
éluard,
émigré,
émile,
émincé,
éminence grise,
épatant,
épaulement,
épaulière,
épinal,
épinglé
British Dictionary definitions for eminence grise
éminence grise
/ French (eminɑ̃s ɡriz) /
noun plural éminences grises (eminɑ̃s ɡriz)
a person who wields power and influence unofficially or behind the scenes
Word Origin for éminence grise
C19: literally: grey eminence, originally applied to Père Joseph (François Le Clerc du Tremblay; died 1638), French monk, secretary of Cardinal Richelieu
Cultural definitions for eminence grise
éminence grise
[ (ay-meh-nahns greez) ]
A person who wields power behind the scenes: “The king's brother-in-law is his éminence grise; he has enormous influence, though he is rarely in the public eye.” A French term meaning “gray eminence.”