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camarilla (kam-uh-RIL-uh, kah-mah-REE-lyah) - n., a group of private advisers to a person of authority.
With very strong connotations of a group given to scheming, so making it effectively synonymous with a cabal. Note also these are private rather than official advisers -- a personal cabinet of sorts, or in 19th century American terms, a kitchen cabinet. The scheming part comes from being close to power without official responsibilities, meaning personal repercussions are minimized. From Spanish (adopted in the 1830s), from cámara (chamber, from Latin camera) + -illa, diminutive suffix -- in Spain, they apparently met in a small room.
---L.
With very strong connotations of a group given to scheming, so making it effectively synonymous with a cabal. Note also these are private rather than official advisers -- a personal cabinet of sorts, or in 19th century American terms, a kitchen cabinet. The scheming part comes from being close to power without official responsibilities, meaning personal repercussions are minimized. From Spanish (adopted in the 1830s), from cámara (chamber, from Latin camera) + -illa, diminutive suffix -- in Spain, they apparently met in a small room.
---L.
