cause célèbre

American  

[kawz suh-leb-ruh, -leb, kohz sey-leb-r^uh] / ˈkɔz səˈlɛb rə, -ˈlɛb, koʊz seɪˈlɛb rə /

noun

plural

causes célèbres

1. any controversy that attracts great public attention, as a celebrated legal case or trial.

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cause célèbre British  

/ koz selɛbrə, ˈkɔːz səˈlɛbrə, -ˈlɛb /

noun

1. a famous lawsuit, trial, or controversy

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cause célèbre Cultural  

1. A cause or issue, generally political, that arouses public opinion: “The question of the draft was a cause célèbre in the 1960s.” From French, meaning “celebrated cause.”

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Etymology

Origin of cause célèbre

First recorded in 1755–65; from French: literally, “famous case”

Example Sentences

While Sally’s children turn Champ’s legal troubles into a cause célèbre on social media, Sally and Corinne strategize about how to clear the terrier’s name.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sabate's situation became a cause celebre online, with people on social media posting #lettheminionskate to show support.

From BBC

In North Carolina, the author notes, the movement was helped along by a particular cause célèbre.

From The Wall Street Journal

With her mother, who worked in HR, and Sandidge’s former partner Matt Chait, who works in branding and marketing, they built a formidable public presence for Altadena Girls and became a cause célèbre for a grieving Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

As a kind of fulcrum for his storytelling, Mr. Davenport uses Elizabeth Bouvia, who in 1983 became a cause célèbre of the right-to-die movement.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• hot potato
• talk of the town
• uproar