Rousseau

American  

[roo-soh, roo-soh] / ruˈsoʊ, ruˈsoʊ /

noun

1. Henri Le Douanier, 1844–1910, French painter.

2. Jean Jacques 1712–78, French philosopher, author, and social reformer; born in Switzerland.

3. (Pierre Étienne) Théodore 1812–67, French painter.

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Rousseau British  

/ ruso /

noun

1. Henri (ɑ̃ri), known as le Douanier . 1844–1910, French painter, who created bold dreamlike pictures, often of exotic landscapes in a naive style. Among his works are Sleeping Gypsy (1897) and Jungle with a Lion (1904–06). He also worked as a customs official

2. Jean Jacques (ʒɑ̃ ʒak). 1712–78, French philosopher and writer, born in Switzerland, who strongly influenced the theories of the French Revolution and the romantics. Many of his ideas spring from his belief in the natural goodness of man, whom he felt was warped by society. His works include Du contrat social (1762), Émile (1762), and his Confessions (1782)

3. Théodore (teɔdɔr). 1812–67, French landscape painter: leader of the Barbizon school

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Compare meaning

How does rousseau compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Voltaire vs. Rousseau

Example Sentences

Michael Rousseau's departure comes after he received heavy criticism in the aftermath of the incident, which killed two of the airline's pilots.

From BBC

Prime Minister Mark Carney also publicly criticized Rousseau’s inability to speak French, calling it poor judgment for the head of a national carrier.

From The Wall Street Journal

Quebec lawmakers demanded that Michael Rousseau step down after he spoke about the LaGuardia runway accident in English, not French.

From The Wall Street Journal

Michael Rousseau informed the airline that he will be stepping down by the end of the company's third quarter, Air Canada said in a statement on Monday.

From BBC

Air Canada said Monday that CEO Michael Rousseau will retire later this year, an announcement following controversy over his failure to issue condolences both in English and French for a fatal airport disaster.

From Barron's