Marseillaise

American  

[mahr-suh-leyz, -sey-ez, mar-se-yez] / ˌmɑr səˈleɪz, -seɪˈɛz, mar sɛˈyɛz /

noun

1. the French national anthem, written in 1792 by Rouget de Lisle.

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Marseillaise British  

/ marsɛjɛz, ˌmɑːsəˈleɪz /

noun

1. the French national anthem. Words and music were composed in 1792 by C. J. Rouget de Lisle as a war song for the Rhine army of revolutionary France

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Etymology

Origin of Marseillaise

C18: from French ( chanson ) Marseillaise song of Marseille (it was first sung in Paris by the battalion of Marseille)

Example Sentences

The 29-year-old, who had won gold in the mixed relay on Sunday, cried as the Marseillaise rang out at the medals ceremony, her gold elevating her to being France's greatest ever woman biathlete.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

The crowd contributed La Marseillaise and a Mexican wave in turn.

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2023

The moment wasn’t quite on par with the legendary scene from the film “Casablanca,” when Victor Laszlo leads the crowd at Rick’s Café Americain in singing La Marseillaise in defiance of Nazi officers.

From New York Times • Jun. 23, 2023

The mood became intimidating when some sections of the crowd jeered the French national anthem, La Marseillaise.

From Fox News • Jun. 19, 2021

A fine band was playing the "Marseillaise;" the officers, in full fig, were lounging about, some playing cards, some singing to the time--all full of hope.

From My Lords of Strogue, Vol. II (of III) A Chronicle of Ireland, from the Convention to the Union by Wingfield, Lewis