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casus belli - 3 dictionary results

ca⋅sus bel⋅li

[key-suhs bel-ahy, bel-ee; Lat. kah-soos bel-lee]
–noun, plural ca⋅sus bel⋅li [key-suhs bel-ahy, bel-ee; Lat. kah-soos bel-lee] .
an event or political occurrence that brings about a declaration of war.

Origin:
1840–50; < NL: lit., occurrence of war
ca·sus bel·li   (kā'səs běl'ī, kä'səs běl'ē)   
n.   pl. casus belli
An act or event that provokes or is used to justify war.

[New Latin cāsus bellī : Latin cāsus, occasion + Latin bellī, genitive of bellum, war.]

casus belli 
1849, from L. casus "case" + belli, gen. of bellum "war." An act justifying war.
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