cheval de bataille: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Literary, formal, sometimes humorous or ironic.
Quick answer
What does “cheval de bataille” mean?
A favourite subject or argument that a person repeatedly uses or relies upon.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A favourite subject or argument that a person repeatedly uses or relies upon.
A person's pet topic, hobbyhorse, or signature issue that they frequently return to in conversation or debate. Figuratively, it can also refer to a specialist area in which someone excels.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both dialects; used almost exclusively in literary or academic writing. No major syntactic or morphological differences.
Connotations
In both dialects, the term carries connotations of intellectualism or a slightly old-fashioned, cultured turn of phrase. It can imply the speaker finds the topic overused by the person employing it.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both regions. More likely to be encountered in UK publications due to slightly stronger historical French influence, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “cheval de bataille” in a Sentence
X's cheval de batailleto mount/ride one's cheval de bataillethe cheval de bataille of YVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cheval de bataille” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He cheval-de-battailled his way through the debate.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. 'In every investor meeting, his cheval de bataille was the company's environmental credentials.'
Academic
Occasional in humanities. 'Post-colonial theory became her cheval de bataille in subsequent publications.'
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual speech.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cheval de bataille”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cheval de bataille”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cheval de bataille”
- Mispronouncing 'cheval' with a hard /k/ sound. The 'ch' is /ʃ/ as in 'shoe'.
- Using it to mean a 'difficult problem' (a 'stumbling block') rather than a 'favourite topic'.
- Omitting the French preposition 'de'. Incorrect: 'cheval bataille'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is very rare and considered a literary or erudite borrowing. It is more likely to be found in writing than in speech.
Yes, as it is a direct, unassimilated foreign phrase, it is conventionally italicised: *cheval de bataille*.
They are synonyms, but 'cheval de bataille' sounds more formal, intellectual, and carries a stronger sense of using the topic strategically in debate. 'Hobbyhorse' can be more light-hearted.
Approximately 'shuh-VAL duh ba-TYE'. The final 'e' in 'bataille' is silent.
A favourite subject or argument that a person repeatedly uses or relies upon.
Cheval de bataille is usually literary, formal, sometimes humorous or ironic. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to ride one's cheval de bataille”
- “to trot out one's cheval de bataille”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a knight (the speaker) always riding the same trusted HORSE (the topic) into every BATTLE (argument or discussion).
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT IS WAR (mounting an attack with a familiar weapon/steed); A TOPIC IS A POSSESSION (a trusted tool one owns and uses).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate meaning of 'cheval de bataille'?