cri de coeur

[ kreeduh-kœr; English kree duh kur ]

noun

, French.

, plural cris de coeur [k, r, eed, uh, -, kœr, kreez, d, uh, , kur].

1. an anguished cry of distress or indignation; outcry.

cri de coeur

/ ˌkriː də ˈkɜː /

noun

1. a cry from the heart; heartfelt or sincere appeal

Word History and Origins

Origin of cri de coeur¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; literally, “cry of (the) heart”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cri de coeur¹

C20: altered from French cri du coeur

Example Sentences

Supreme Court as a kind of cri de coeur, asking, Can we please talk about the death penalty?

From Slate

Hence, the AOC impeachment resolutions are a mere performative exercise, a kind of cri de coeur against unrebuked judicial misbehavior.

From Slate

Justice Sonia Sotomayor spoke to this absurdity when she responded in what could only be heard as a cri de coeur: “Stable democratic society needs good faith of public officials,” she said.

From Slate

It is a cri de coeur of screaming guitars and lyrics decrying the legacy of colonialism in Niger and throughout Africa, where Western powers retain a strong but not always welcome influence, and political and economic instability are endemic hazards.

From New York Times

For 20 years, Participant Media has been Hollywood’s pre-eminent maker of activist entertainment, backing socially conscious films like “An Inconvenient Truth,” a climate change cri de coeur, and “Wonder,” about a boy with birth defects.

From New York Times