Dreyfus

American  

[drey-fuhs, drahy-, drey-fys] / ˈdreɪ fəs, ˈdraɪ-, dreɪˈfüs /

noun

1. Alfred 1859–1935, French army officer of Jewish descent: convicted of treason 1894, 1899; acquitted 1906.

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Dreyfus British  

/ drɛfys, ˈdreɪfəs /

noun

1. Alfred (alfrɛd). 1859–1935, French army officer, a Jew whose false imprisonment for treason (1894) raised issues of anti-semitism and militarism that dominated French politics until his release (1906)

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Example Sentences

The kind of high point, the peak of his trajectory, was kind of preparing the ground for the Dreyfus affair, which began in 1894 with the arrest of the Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus.

From Slate • Mar. 2, 2026

Hannah Arendt wrote that fascism wouldn’t have developed the way it did without the Dreyfus affair, and briefly mentioned that Morès’ antisemitic activities shaped the way that unfolded.

From Slate • Mar. 2, 2026

A lanky, six-foot-five 72-old, Druckenmiller got his start in the trust department of Pittsburgh National Bank, before running mutual funds for Dreyfus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

Those who pushed for the law believe that if Dreyfus had been able to pursue his career under normal circumstances, he would have risen to the top of the French army.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

He never admitted that he’d been wrong about Alfred Dreyfus.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day