cause célèbre

noun

cause cé·lè·bre ˌkȯz-sə-ˈleb -ˈle-brə

ˌkōz-,

-ˈlebrᵊ

variants or less commonly cause celebre

plural causes célèbres also causes celebres

same

Synonyms of cause célèbre

: a legal case that excites widespread interest

: 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.

Their case became a cause celebre and a polarizing one. — Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2025 Peters, who is 70 years old, is a cause celebre among those who insist the 2020 election was stolen. — Max Potter, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026 Peters' release has become a cause celebre in the election conspiracy movement. — CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026 Calls for Peters' release have become a cause celebre in the election conspiracy movement. — Arkansas Online, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cause célèbre

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

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cause célèbre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cause%20c%C3%A9l%C3%A8bre. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation