cause célèbre

[ kawz suh-leb-ruh, -leb; French kohz sey-leb-ruh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural causes cé·lè·bres [kawz, s, uh, -, leb, -r, uh, z, s, uh, -, lebz, kaw, -ziz s, uh, -, leb, -r, uh, -, leb, kohz sey-, leb, -, r, uh].

any controversy that attracts great public attention, as a celebrated legal case or trial.

cause célèbre

/ -ˈlɛb; ˈkɔːz səˈlɛbrə; koz selɛbrə /

cause célèbre

A cause or issue, generally political, that arouses public opinion: “The question of the draft was a cause célèbre in the 1960s.” From French, meaning “celebrated cause.”

First recorded in 1755–65; from French: literally, “famous case”

C19: from French: famous case

His predicament eventually become something of a cause célèbre, attracting even the attention of the Princess of Wales.

The Mumia Abu-Jamal case continues to be an international cause célèbre and a lightning rod in the Philadelphia area.

Were the neo-imperialists able to turn toughness on China into a Republican cause célèbre, liberals might respond.

Hillary Clinton has made the end of poaching her cause célèbre since leaving office.

Soon the missing construction laborer had become a national cause célèbre.

It was in reference to a slave that the first case of trial by jury was held in Madras, in 1665, and it was a cause célèbre.

In ten days it was forgotten for a cause célèbre by every one except Colonel Tempest.

And if you've got a title or have been mixed up in a cause célèbre you can write on anything sans aucune connaissance spéciale.

Even Mrs. Bolland felt a certain pride that the boy should be the center of interest in this cause célèbre.

Never expect me to agree with you in that cause célèbre of 'ladies and gentlemen' against people of letters.

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

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