crème de la crème

American  

[krem duh lah krem, krem duh la krem] / ˈkrɛm də lɑ ˈkrɛm, krɛm də la ˈkrɛm /

noun

1. the very best; choicest parts or members.

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crème de la crème British  

/ krɛm də la krɛm /

noun

1. the very best

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crème de la crème Cultural  

1. The best of the best: “Our school's marching band is acknowledged as the crème de la crème.” From French, meaning “cream of the cream.”

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Etymology

Origin of crème de la crème

First recorded in 1840–50; literally, cream of the cream

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crème de la crème

In the center is the crème de la crème: Maison Bordier, the small artisanal house in Brittany whose butters sell out the fastest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

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

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

“The crème de la crème is the loft level with an open or rooftop terrace,” said Lisa Butler, one of EastChurch’s sales managers.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 20, 2020

Namely, that the putative crème de la crème impart their enriching essence to the milkier orders.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

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