cause célèbre

American  

[kawz suh-leb-ruh, -leb, kohz sey-leb-r^uh] / ˈkɔz səˈlɛb rə, -ˈlɛb, koʊz seɪˈlɛb rə /

noun

• causes célèbres
  plural

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

---

cause célèbre British  

/ koz selɛbrə, ˈkɔːz səˈlɛbrə, -ˈlɛb /

noun

1. a famous lawsuit, trial, or controversy

---

cause célèbre Cultural  

1. 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.”

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• causes célèbres
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cause célèbre

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cause célèbre

As a kind of fulcrum for his storytelling, Mr. Davenport uses Elizabeth Bouvia, who in 1983 became a cause célèbre of the right-to-die movement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025

Not surprisingly, the grave miscarriage of justice in his case has attracted national and international attention and made it a cause célèbre for people opposed to the death penalty and many supporters of capital punishment.

From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2024

As doubts about the sailors' guilt grew, their families began a campaign on their behalf, which became a cause célèbre in Brazil.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2024

Lucio’s case has become a cause célèbre among people, including Kim Kardashian.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 16, 2024

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.

From The Story of Madras by Glyn Barlow