cause celebre: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 / Very Low FrequencyFormal, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “cause celebre” mean?
A controversial issue, person, or case that attracts a great deal of public attention and passionate support or opposition.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A controversial issue, person, or case that attracts a great deal of public attention and passionate support or opposition.
More broadly, any topic, event, or person that becomes the subject of widespread, intense, and often prolonged public debate, frequently with ideological or moral dimensions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The French diacritics (é) are more consistently retained in British publications. The American press might be more likely to drop the accent in less formal contexts (though 'cause celebre' is considered incorrect by purists).
Connotations
In both varieties, it suggests an elite or media-driven controversy. Possibly a slightly more literary feel in American English.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, used primarily in high-register journalism, political commentary, and historical analysis.
Grammar
How to Use “cause celebre” in a Sentence
X became a cause célèbre for YThe case of X was a cause célèbre among YVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cause celebre” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable; the phrase is a noun phrase]
American English
- [Not applicable; the phrase is a noun phrase]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable]
American English
- [Not applicable]
adjective
British English
- The cause célèbre trial dominated the headlines for months.
American English
- He found himself at the center of a cause-célèbre lawsuit.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might describe a corporate scandal that attracts activist attention (e.g., 'The oil spill became a cause célèbre for environmentalists').
Academic
Used in law, history, political science, and media studies to describe historically significant controversies (e.g., 'The Dreyfus Affair was the quintessential cause célèbre of the 19th century').
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound affected or humorous.
Technical
Not a technical term in any field.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cause celebre”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cause celebre”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cause celebre”
- Spelling it as 'cause celebre' (without accents) in formal writing.
- Using it to describe simply a 'popular trend'.
- Mispronouncing 'célèbre' as /sɪˈliːb/ or /ˈsɛləb/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In formal writing, especially academic or high-quality journalism, it is standard to italicise it as a foreign phrase. In more informal digital text, the italics are often dropped.
Yes, a person can be described as a cause célèbre if their case or situation is the focal point of public controversy (e.g., 'The whistleblower became a cause célèbre').
It is a direct borrowing from French, where it literally means 'famous case'. It entered English in the mid-18th century, popularised by its use to describe celebrated legal cases.
Yes, the plural is 'causes célèbres', following the French pluralisation pattern for the adjective.
A controversial issue, person, or case that attracts a great deal of public attention and passionate support or opposition.
Cause celebre is usually formal, journalistic in register.
Cause celebre: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkəʊz sɛˈlɛb(rə)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɔːz səˈlɛb/ or /ˌkɑːz səˈlɛb/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[no direct equivalent idioms; the phrase itself is idiomatic]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A CELEBRated CAUSE' that gets everyone arguing.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTROVERSY IS A MAGNET (for public attention).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'cause célèbre'?