Consorts

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A collection of people who interact with one another, typically in a context that involves companionship or collaboration in specific activities
2. Multiple individuals who associate closely, often implying a shared purpose or involvement, especially in social or ceremonial settings
3. Groups of individuals who regularly spend time together or work jointly in various social or professional contexts

Etymology: "Consorts" is the plural of "consort," a noun that once meant a companion or partner in a shared life or enterprise. The root is Latin "consors," built from "con-" (together) and "sors" (lot, share), so a consort was literally someone who shared your lot in life. English took the word through Middle French, where it appeared in the form "consort," and Middle English adopted it as "consorte" with the same sense of partner or companion. The sense of company in a group came later and drifted toward the collective. Today the plural names a body of people who keep company or work together on a particular purpose, which is a looser idea than the original one-to-one bond of sharing a lot.

Synonyms: companions, partners, associates

Antonyms: enemies, opponents