Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

cri de coeur

American  
[kreeduh-kœr, kree duh kur] / kridəˈkœr, ˈkri də ˈkɜr /

noun

French.
  • cris de coeur
    plural
  1. an anguished cry of distress or indignation; outcry.


cri de coeur British  
/ ˌkriː də ˈkɜː /

noun

  1. a cry from the heart; heartfelt or sincere appeal

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of cri de coeur

First recorded in 1895–1900; literally, “cry of (the) heart”


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.

See Examples For:

That’s part of the cri de coeur you hear on “By Numbers.”

From Salon ● Nov. 3, 2026

His typographical cri de coeur has entered the annals of classic Slate pitches.

From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026

It was an uninspiring cri de coeur and reflective of a campaign that wasn’t apocalyptic enough for those, such as Pratt’s people, who want radical change, while offering nothing new for Bass supporters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

As the Pratt and Bass characters duel with light-sabers, the video closes with a cri de coeur: “L.A. is worth saving.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 24, 2026

That very day, he dispatched to Ernest an indignant cri de coeur: Dear Lawrence: What is going on?

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training