célêbre

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.

a cause célêbre

a famous event or legal case which people discuss a lot because it is so interesting or shocking The relationship between Edward Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson became an international cause célêbre in the 1930s.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Prudencio	proo-DHEN-thyo (Spanish), proo-DHEN-syo (Latin American Spanish)	Spanish
Doran	['dɔ:ræn]
Xanthe	-	Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Reeves	[ri:vz]
Ion (2)	-	Greek Mythology
Oskari	OS-kah-ree	Finnish