pièce de résistance

American  

[pyes duh rey-zee-stahns, pee-es duh ri-zee-stahns] / pyɛs də reɪ ziˈstɑ̃s, piˈɛs də rɪ ziˈstɑns /

noun

French.

plural

pièces de résistance

1. the principal dish of a meal.

2. the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.

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pièce de résistance British  

/ pjɛs də rezistɑ̃s /

noun

1. the principal or most outstanding item in a series or creative artist's work

2. the main dish of a meal

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Etymology

Origin of pièce de résistance

First recorded in 1780–90; from French: literally, “piece of resistance”; development of senses is unclear

Example Sentences

His pièce de résistance here is a graph from economist Robert J. Gordon’s 2016 book The Rise and Fall of American Growth, which, according to Attia, illustrates that the mortality rate per 100,000 people “declined relatively little over the course of the twentieth century” if you “subtract out deaths from the eight top infectious diseases,” with the implication that “Medicine 2.0 has made scant progress against the Horsemen.”

From Slate

Undoubtedly, her pièce de resistance is the full-size Arctic ship where the opening sequence unfolds.

From Los Angeles Times

But the pièce de résistance is Cousins, his brother and friends in the drive-thru line of a fast food joint joyfully singing Cher’s “Believe” after a win — the antithesis of the sad Zac Efron meme — complete with harmonies.

From Los Angeles Times

The late flip of Dixon-Wyatt proved to be the pièce de résistance Wednesday from general manager Chad Bowden, whose arrival less than a year ago has transformed the Trojans’ recruiting operation.

From Los Angeles Times

The resulting set, in many ways, is the production’s pièce de résistance.

From Los Angeles Times