crème de la crème
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of crème de la crème
First recorded in 1840–50; literally, cream of the cream
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The 17 songs contained in this package represent the crème de la crème of superior American songs, nearly all of which were written for works of musical theater and film.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025
One of the planet's most stunning cities has played host to the "crème de la crème" of Olympic royalty.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2024
Canelo Álvarez has gone from selling ice cream on the streets of Guadalajara, Mexico, as a youth to the crème de la crème of boxing.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2022
The top-end S21 Ultra was the crème de la crème, with a slightly bigger 6.8-inch display, a whopping 108MP main rear camera, a 40MP front-facing camera — and an equally whopping starting price of $1,199.
From The Verge ● Feb. 10, 2022
"This is the high-class motel, la crème de la crème, not to get too gross. Everyone would know everyone else's cars here."
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
