éminence grise

ém·i·nence grise

 (ā-mē-näNs grēz′)

n. pl. ém·i·nence grises (ā-mē-näNs grēz′)

A powerful adviser or decision maker who operates secretly or unofficially. Also called gray eminence.

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[French, the power behind the throne : éminence, power + grise, feminine of gris, gray, shadowy.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

éminence grise

(eminɑ̃s ɡriz)

n, pl éminences grises (eminɑ̃s ɡriz)

a person who wields power and influence unofficially or behind the scenes

[C19: literally: grey eminence, originally applied to Père Joseph (François Le Clerc du Tremblay; died 1638), French monk, secretary of Cardinal Richelieu]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gray′ em′inence

n.

a person who wields unofficial power, esp. through another person and often surreptitiously or privately. Also called éminence grise.

[1940–45; translation of French éminence grise]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

éminence grise

A French phrase meaning gray eminence, used to refer to someone who wields considerable power behind the scenes. It was originally applied to a French monk who was the private secretary of Cardinal Richelieu, virtual ruler of France under Louis XIII.

Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

eminence grise - (French) a person who exercises power or influence in certain areas without holding an official position; "the President's wife is an eminence grise in matters of education" French - the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France important person, influential person, personage - a person whose actions and opinions strongly influence the course of events

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Translations

серый кардинал

eminence grise

[ˈgriːz] n → éminence f grise

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

éminence grise

n → graue Eminenz

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007