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casus belli

[key-suh s bel-ahy, bel-ee; Latin kah-soo s bel-lee]
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noun, plural ca·sus bel·li [key-suh s bel-ahy, bel-ee; Latin kah-soos bel-lee] /ˈkeɪ səs ˈbɛl aɪ, ˈbɛl i; Latin ˈkɑ sus ˈbɛl li/.
  1. an event or political occurrence that brings about a declaration of war.
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Origin of casus belli

1840–50; < New Latin: literally, occurrence of war
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

harassment, indignity, affront, insult, grievance, motivation, justification, annoyance, taunt, challenge, incentive, instigation, reason, dare, offense, injury, cause, vexation, inducement, grounds
British Dictionary definitions for casus belli

casus belli

noun plural casus belli (ˈkɑːsʊs ˈbɛliː)
  1. an event or act used to justify a war
  2. the immediate cause of a quarrel
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Word Origin

literally: occasion of war
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for casus belli

n.

1849, from Latin casus "case" (see case (n.1)) + belli, genitive of bellum "war" (see bellicose). An act justifying war.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper