[Fr. ey-mee-nahns greez] 
| a person who wields unofficial power, esp. through another person and often surreptitiously or privately. |
| ém·i·nence grise (ā-mē-näɴs grēz') n. pl. ém·i·nence grises (ā-mē-näɴs grēz') A powerful adviser or decision-maker who operates secretly or unofficially. Also called gray eminence. [French, the power behind the throne : éminence, power + grise, feminine of gris, gray, shadowy.] |
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.”