cause célèbre

cause cé·lè·bre

C0173100 (kôz′ sə-lĕb′, kōz′ sā-lĕb′rə)n. pl. causes cé·lè·bres (kôz′ sə-lĕb′, kōz′ sā-lĕb′rə) 1. An issue arousing widespread controversy or heated public debate.2. A celebrated legal case.

[French : cause, case + célèbre, celebrated.]

cause célèbre

(ˈkɔːz səˈlɛbrə; -ˈlɛb; French koz selɛbrə) n, pl causes célèbres (ˈkɔːz səˈlɛbrəz; -ˈlɛb; ˈkɔːzɪz səˈlɛbrə; -ˈlɛbz; French koz selɛbrə) (Communications & Information) a famous lawsuit, trial, or controversy[C19: from French: famous case]

cause cé•lè•bre

(ˈkɔz səˈlɛb; Fr. koʊz seɪˈlɛb r^ə)

n., pl. causes cé•lè•bres (ˈkɔz səˈlɛb; Fr. koʊz seɪˈlɛb r^ə) any controversy that attracts great public attention. [1755–65; < French: literally, famous case]

cause célèbre

A French phrase meaning famous case, used to refer to any matter or issue that arouses great public interest or controversy.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.cause celebre - an incident that attracts great public attentionincident - a single distinct event

cause célèbre

1. A controversy that causes public debate. The town's polluted drinking water became a national cause célêbre when it was discovered that the local leaders had allowed it to happen.2. A legal case that is famous or celebrated. The trial became a cause célêbre for those who felt the defendant was victimized by the legal system.See also: cause

Cause Célèbre

[French, famous case.] A trial or lawsuit in which the subject matter or a participant is particularly newsworthy, unusual, or sensational and that typically attracts a great deal of media attention. For example, the case of Scott Peterson, accused of the murder of his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, was a cause célèbre in 2003.