juste-milieu

[ zhyst-mee-lyœ ]

noun

, French.

, plural juste-mi·lieux [zh, y, st-mee-, lyœ].

1. a point between two extremes; the golden mean.

Word History and Origins

Origin of juste-milieu¹

Literally, “exact middle”

Example Sentences

Charles Dix," says a legitimate in principle, 243 but a juste-milieu man in practice,—"Charles Dix has abdicated the throne, which otherwise must unquestionably be his by indefeasible right.

From Project Gutenberg

They, in truth, form between them the genuine juste-milieu on which the present government is balanced.

From Project Gutenberg

But the great majority of the ladies who resort to Boulevard des Italiens in search of conquests put no politics in their smiles; they are cosmopolites, for they have been known to dart glances impartially at republicans and legitimists, at old soldiers of the Empire and favorites of the Restoration; it has been observed, however, that they affect more particularly the partisans of the juste-milieu.

From Project Gutenberg

But also -- despite his often repeated claim to reject tradition absolutely -- paying complete homage to an earlier French artist: Honore Daumier, whose tiny clay effigies of politico-literary notables known as Les Celebrites du Juste-Milieu, wizened, compressed and distorted, are the obvious and inescapable grandfathers of all Dubuffet's turnip men.

From Time Magazine Archive

We found the group of Maria and daughters washing in the lagoon, nearly all in dishabille: Juanita with naught but a flimsy chemisetta, not a ceinture around the little waist, revealing the most adorable juste-milieu form—between the bud and the rose—with rich masses of dark hair covering her shoulders, and rivalling in beauty the splendor of her eyes.

From Project Gutenberg