cause célèbre

noun

cause cé·​lè·​bre ˌkȯz-sə-ˈleb How to pronounce cause célèbre (audio) -ˈle-brə How to pronounce cause célèbre (audio)
ˌkōz-,
-ˈlebrᵊ
variants or less commonly cause celebre
plural causes célèbres also causes celebres
same
 How to pronounce cause célèbre (audio)
1
: a legal case that excites widespread interest
2
: a notorious person, thing, incident, or episode

Examples of cause célèbre in a Sentence

a cause célèbre from some reality TV show whose fame hadn't even lasted the proverbial 15 minutes
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jurors heard closing arguments Tuesday in the case of Daniel Penny, who has become a cause celebre for some of President-elect 's closest allies. , a 26-year-old former Marine, is charged in a New York state court with second-degree manslaughter and negligent homicide. Sean O'Driscoll, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024 The case also became a cause celebre among Republican presidential hopefuls. Philip Marcelo, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 Ever since the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos outside the womb are considered children, the fertility treatment known as in vitro fertilization has become a political cause celebre. Tom Philp, The Mercury News, 5 Oct. 2024 Opposition to non-compete agreements has become a new cause celebre on the left. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023 Since then, his fortunes apparently have changed and Floyd has become a something of a cause celebre in conservative circles. Chris Joyner, ajc, 29 Aug. 2023 Mitnick became a cause celebre for hackers who considered his 5-year prison term excessive. Time, 21 July 2023 His feud with the Commonwealth has turned him into cause celebre in conservative circles and has even put him on a new career path. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2022 Recently, a few pets have become cause celebre when their X-ray images went viral. Andrea Sachs, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, celebrated case

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cause célèbre was in 1763

Dictionary Entries Near cause célèbre

Cite this Entry

“Cause célèbre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cause%20c%C3%A9l%C3%A8bre. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!